Who would have guessed that there is an app for car seats? Well, there is now a free app from Phoenix Children's Hospital called Car Seat Helper. It provides information about the different car seat types. It also helps you choose a seat based on your child's age, height, and weight. Too cool! You can get it from the App Store or Android Market or from PCH's website. Did I mention that it is free?
www.phoenixchildrens.com/carseat
On a related note I discovered the coolest thing while checking this out. Phoenix Children's Hospital has a recycling program for old car seats. Each Earth Day volunteers dismantle old car seats and the parts are recycled. You will find the info at the above link.
If you use Car Seat Helper let me know what you think. Since my kids are now adult sized I don't think Car Seat Helper is going to help me much!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
How Do Doctors Stay Up to Date?
I have been trying to write this post for awhile. Quite frankly this a boring subject. I think it is important though because who wants to go and see a doctor that is 20 years out of date in their training?
At our office we keep up to date through several different ways. We read 8 monthly journals. (I have discovered that if you don't read some every day then suddenly there is a large pile on the bedside table!) We attend 1-2 lectures a month. We also attend a 2-4 day conference once a year. Then on the computer we attend webinars and do a program called Compuprep that takes about 25 hours a year and tests us on our knowledge.
We also learn from each other. We talk to specialists and drug representatives (yes, they do sometimes have valuable information!). Also we teach a pediatric resident from Phoenix Children's Hospital one half day a week. She keeps us on our toes!
I'll end here before you are comatose! If you hear about a medical subject in the news or online and want to talk about it give us a call -- we want you to keep us on our toes too!
At our office we keep up to date through several different ways. We read 8 monthly journals. (I have discovered that if you don't read some every day then suddenly there is a large pile on the bedside table!) We attend 1-2 lectures a month. We also attend a 2-4 day conference once a year. Then on the computer we attend webinars and do a program called Compuprep that takes about 25 hours a year and tests us on our knowledge.
We also learn from each other. We talk to specialists and drug representatives (yes, they do sometimes have valuable information!). Also we teach a pediatric resident from Phoenix Children's Hospital one half day a week. She keeps us on our toes!
I'll end here before you are comatose! If you hear about a medical subject in the news or online and want to talk about it give us a call -- we want you to keep us on our toes too!
Friday, October 21, 2011
Diaper Rash
The drug representative from Desitin was visiting the office this week and I learned some "fun" facts. The company Johnson and Johnson has noticed that since the recession sales of diapers have decreased but the sales of diaper cream have increased. Also on the parent discussion board parents report that they sometimes will wait to change a diaper to see if their spouse will do it!
So, what does decreased diaper changing mean? Diaper rash!! Most diaper rashes are caused by urine and stool being held against the child's skin. When the diaper isn't changed right away the child is more likely to develop a diaper rash. Unfortunately diaper rash can happen even with the most diligent parents because it doesn't take long to develop.
So, what is a parent to do? I would recommend putting large amounts of a thick diaper ointment on your child's bottom. Creams that have a high concentration of zinc oxide or petroleum jelly are the best. You want to put enough of it on so that it is still there the next time you change their diaper. The diaper cream helps protect the skin from the next time you child stools or voids.
Sometimes a diaper rash is caused by yeast. The diaper area is a nice warm wet place that yeast likes to grow in. It can happen in either boys or girls. It looks like red patches or bumps that are not painful. Often times they are in the fold of skin where the leg meets the body. If you suspect yeast you can use over the counter clotrimazole on the rash three times a day. (you find it in the store with the athlete's foot medicines)
As always if these things aren't helping then it is time to make an appointment for us to look at the rash.
So, what does decreased diaper changing mean? Diaper rash!! Most diaper rashes are caused by urine and stool being held against the child's skin. When the diaper isn't changed right away the child is more likely to develop a diaper rash. Unfortunately diaper rash can happen even with the most diligent parents because it doesn't take long to develop.
So, what is a parent to do? I would recommend putting large amounts of a thick diaper ointment on your child's bottom. Creams that have a high concentration of zinc oxide or petroleum jelly are the best. You want to put enough of it on so that it is still there the next time you change their diaper. The diaper cream helps protect the skin from the next time you child stools or voids.
Sometimes a diaper rash is caused by yeast. The diaper area is a nice warm wet place that yeast likes to grow in. It can happen in either boys or girls. It looks like red patches or bumps that are not painful. Often times they are in the fold of skin where the leg meets the body. If you suspect yeast you can use over the counter clotrimazole on the rash three times a day. (you find it in the store with the athlete's foot medicines)
As always if these things aren't helping then it is time to make an appointment for us to look at the rash.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Desks That Let Kids Stand
This post is a little different from some of my previous. I just read a summary of a study in Texas and I found it interesting so I thought I would share it. The study was published in the American Journal of Public Health and I am taking my information from a summary of it in the AAP News.
The study looked at 1st graders to see if desks that give kids the opportunity to stand and work could help reduce obesity. The desks are taller than usual desks and have a stool with them so kids have the ability to sit if they want. The study found that kids who use these desks burn more calories than those who use traditional desks.
What I found interesting about the study is that they found that 12 weeks into the study 70% of the kids chose to stand all the time. While the remaining 30% choose to stand most of the time. Also, parents and teachers of the kids with the standing desks reported improved behavior and school performance!
I have read about executives who choose to stand and work instead of sit but this is the first I have heard about kids trying it. I believe that it does improve efficiency and attention. I now do much of my work standing at my computer and I find that I get a lot more work done than when I sit down at my desk.
It will be interesting to see if any follow up studies result from this.
The study looked at 1st graders to see if desks that give kids the opportunity to stand and work could help reduce obesity. The desks are taller than usual desks and have a stool with them so kids have the ability to sit if they want. The study found that kids who use these desks burn more calories than those who use traditional desks.
What I found interesting about the study is that they found that 12 weeks into the study 70% of the kids chose to stand all the time. While the remaining 30% choose to stand most of the time. Also, parents and teachers of the kids with the standing desks reported improved behavior and school performance!
I have read about executives who choose to stand and work instead of sit but this is the first I have heard about kids trying it. I believe that it does improve efficiency and attention. I now do much of my work standing at my computer and I find that I get a lot more work done than when I sit down at my desk.
It will be interesting to see if any follow up studies result from this.
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