Misconceptions #2 When to Start Healthy Eating

On to my second post on misconceptions I  hear from parents in the office.  Today we are going to talk about healthy eating in kids.  There are two common ones I hear.  "He is very active so it's all right if he eats a lot of junk food." And "He is just a kid so I don't worry about what he eats."

So, let's review the reasons about why kids need to eat healthy from birth.

1. To promote good growth and development. 

2. To prevent chronic illnesses later in life.  Heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses don't just suddenly start when you are old.  The changes in your body start when you are young but they are not noticeable at that time. 

3. To start healthy habits at a young age.  Just like with the teeth brushing one doesn't just magically start having good habits later in life. If your child grows up eating junk food then that is what they will eat as an adult.  If your child is used to sitting down at family meal times and eating fruits and veggies then they are more likely to as an adult. (and as a bonus they will also teach their kids healthy habits!)

Now about exercise --  you cannot cancel out junk food with exercise!  Everyone needs to exercise regardless of their weight, what they eat, or health status.  Why?  For the same reasons as why the need to eat healthy!

Next up misconceptions about illness and fever.

Misconceptions #1 Baby Teeth

I commonly find that parents have outdated information or misconceptions and so I thought I would start a series of posts addressing some of the more common ones that I hear.

First off we are going to talk about baby teeth. I find that some parents think that since baby teeth fall out there is no need to take care of them.  Baby teeth are actually quite important so we are going to discuss some reasons why.

1.  Some baby teeth won't fall out until age 12-13. That's a long time to have teeth that are not cared for.

2.  Cavities hurt and can lead to serious infections such as abscesses.  If your child's mouth hurts he will be fussy, not sleep well, do poorly in school, and won't eat very well.

3.  Good habits start early.  Is your child suddenly going to start brushing and flossing when his permanent teeth come in? Probably not.  It is best to start good dental habits when young so that they are part of the daily routine for your child's lifetime.

4. Dental work is expensive.  I commonly find parents (with dental insurance) that have to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars to fix their child's teeth.

So, how to protect your child's teeth? Start brushing them as soon as they come in. Help your child with their brushing until they are doing a good job (commonly about age 5).  Visit a dentist regularly.  Avoid sugary chewy foods such as fruit snacks, roll ups and candies.  Avoid drinks with sugar in them such as juice, soda, lemonade, and sports drinks. Lastly don't let your child graze all day long or carry a cup around with them.

Myth busted!  Next up, the idea that kids don't have to watch what they eat because they are kids.