The Growing Epidemic Of Low Back Pain In Children
More and more children are suffering from back pain. What's causing this, and is it such a grand idea to keep our children on so much medication to better handle their pain?
The Growing Epidemic Of Low Back Pain In Children
Low Back Pain Is Not Just For Adults

In years past, low back pain was thought to be a malady afflicting only the elderly. Well, it’s not just your granddad’s disorder any longer. Once considered a rare pediatric condition, low back pain in children has become a growing concern among many in the medical community.

Children’s skeletal structures are in a continual growth state until late adolescence. Combined with the stress of sports activities including contact sports, the incidence of low back pain in children is skyrocketing. In a recent study, it was determined that low back pain was responsible for approximately 23% of most school absenteeism, and when sports injuries were thrown into the mix, that number jumped to 29%. Even more surprising, researchers discovered that in 75% of reported cases, childhood low back pain triggered depression and other psychological problems. This constitutes a serious concern that demands the attention of parents and health care providers alike.

What Causes Low Back Pain In Children?

It seems that many of the same health issues that initiate low back pain in adults, such as poor posture, misalignment of vertebrae, trauma, emotional stress and sports injuries, have the same affect on children. Add to these issues the fact that most school-age children carry backpacks that weigh 10-20% of their body weight, and you have a recipe for life-long health concerns and back pain.

Emotional stress is also an important factor to consider. Adolescents are subject to wildly varying emotions sometimes compared to a rollercoaster ride. It can be terrifying and exhilarating at the same time; filled with soaring, sky-high excitement only to suddenly plummet into a downward spiral. Interestingly, these rollercoaster emotions have been associated with lower back pain. Research in England involving children between the ages of 11 and 14 revealed that children with higher levels of psychological and social difficulties are much more likely to experience low back pain than their peers.

The Good News Is That Chiropractic Can Help

When spinal vertebrae become misaligned, whether in an adult or in a child, the diagnosis is called vertebral subluxation. This may sound like a frightening medical condition, but it is one that a professional chiropractic doctor can address with great success. However, when left untreated, vertebral subluxation can lead to frequent earaches, headaches, infant colic, neck pain and carpel tunnel syndrome.

Chiropractic care also addresses the nervous system which, among a myriad of other miraculous functions, governs the way in which our bodies react physically to stress. Chiropractic adjustments actually help your body release pent-up stress, relieving tight muscles, tendons and ligaments, and helping to prevent low back pain.

Chiropractic treatment is a wonderful, highly effective way to enjoy natural relief of back pain. Your child’s chiropractor will painlessly adjust the vertebral column in order to correct any vertebral misalignment, without potentially harmful drugs or invasive surgery. There is no recovery time; instead, your child will most likely experience an immediate relief from pain and restoration of movement. Additionally, your chiropractor can recommend exercises to relieve low back pain.

What Are The Three D’s, And Is Your Child At Risk?

DDD, or degenerative disc disease, is actually a form of arthritis and has been proven to be a common cause of lower back and leg pain in children. Surprisingly, DDD has even been diagnosed in infants. And yet, degenerative disc disease is not typically identified by traditional medical practitioners. Rather, highly-skilled and well-trained chiropractic doctors are leading the way into this new medical frontier.

Degenerative disc disease sounds like a progressive, very frightening disease that could certainly alarm any parent, so here is a brief explanation of DDD. Changes in the water and protein content of the body's cartilage results in weaker, more fragile and thin cartilage. This more typically occurs as we get older. Now, because both the discs and the joints that stack the vertebrae are partly composed of cartilage, these areas are, unfortunately, subject to degenerative changes. The deterioration of the disc between the vertebrae is referred to as degenerative disc disease, and makes the disc tissue more susceptible to herniation.

Natural Remedies For Degenerative Disc Disease Are Available

The important thing to remember is that chiropractic care offers you and your child gentle, effective treatment of degenerative disc disease. Early detection and treatment is key to optimum recovery, however. Research at St. Louis University led by Francis W. Smith, MD revealed that degenerative changes in the spines of pediatric study participants occurred much earlier than previously suspected, creating a predisposition to muscle and muscle and ligament sprains and strains, as well as arthritis of the spinal joints.

DDD is not always accompanied by lower back or leg pain, so the wisest course of action is to seek preventative chiropractic care for you and your children. Further, Dr. Smith advises that degenerative disc disease preventative care should begin prior to puberty.

Be sure to ask your chiropractic doctor about symptoms of degenerative disc disease and what treatments are available.

Be Proactive – Protect Your Child’s Health

A wealth of scientific research confirms that chiropractic care provides safe, effective, and drug-free relief from back and neck pain … regardless of the cause. So if your child complains of low back pain, if you notice a difference in the way he walks, stands or sits, if your child appears overly clumsy or if you suspect a sport-related trauma, do not ignore these symptoms. Protect your child’s physical and emotional health by contacting a chiropractic care professional today.

By Brenda Slovin
Published: 9/19/2006
 

Is A SoyChlor Plant Killing Animals, People, And Children In Jefferson Iowa?
A SoyChlor plant in Jefferson, Iowa is alleged to damage property, kill plant and animal life, and make people and even children sick with hydrochloric acid.
Is A SoyChlor Plant Killing Animals, People, And Children In Jefferson Iowa?
On October 28, 2005, over 250 residents of Jefferson, Iowa, represented by attorneys from LaMarca & Landry, P.C., filed suit against West Central Cooperative in the Iowa District Court for Greene County. The parties to this lawsuit include homeowners, business owners and persons who work at nearby places of employment, such as MicroSoy, Electrolux and American Concrete.

The causes of action include nuisance, negligence, trespass, res ipsa loquitur, and strict liability for carrying on an abnormally dangerous activity. The claims stem from numerous environmental and health changes which have occurred since West Central Cooperative's Jefferson, Iowa Soy Chlor plant began its operations on February 14, 2005. These problems stem essentially from the Soy Chlor's plant emission of hydrogen chloride, hydrochloric acid and particulate matter containing one or both of these chemicals. Soy Chlor is a patented dairy cattle feed supplement which combines hydrochloric acid with soy product.

The lawsuit also alleges violation of West Central Cooperative's IDNR operating permit for this plant, as well as violations of the hazardous chemical risk law and other environmental laws and applicable standards of care.

West Central opened the business - SoyChlor - in February. Since then, emissions from the plant have corroded metal buildings and other property within a mile of the plant, the lawsuit alleges. Emissions also have killed grass and other vegetation, eliminated wildlife, ruined windows and discolored surrounding structures and roadway rock, plaintiffs contend.

The plaintiffs claim that the plant has exceeded legal limits for emissions of both hydrogen chloride and "particulate matter," or dust. When combined with moisture, the chemical turns into hydrochloric acid, a highly corrosive substance known to be toxic to humans and animals.

"It's plain as day, right from my front window," said Jeb Ball , owner of a used car business west of the SoyChlor plant on Jefferson's north side. "I have to look at it every day."

"We think we're in compliance now," Nile Ramsbottom , vice president for soy and nutrition operations at Ralston-based West Central said, but he added that the company plans to increase the height of SoyChlor's emissions tower to 94 feet to more widely disperse emissions and to dilute their presence on the ground. West Central also plans to install an additional scrubbing system, Ramsbottom said, adding that those combined steps would be more than enough to ensure that plant emissions meet legal limits .

The company has asked the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, which oversees manufacturing plant emissions, to allow the changes.

Dave Phelps , who supervises the DNR section that oversees such permits, said the department was prepared to grant the company's request, but he also expects there to be a public comment period and public hearing about the matter this month . He also said recent testing showed the plant's dust emission rate exceeded the limit allowed by state law.

George LaMarca, a Des Moines lawyer representing plaintiffs in the case, said a public hearing and the opportunity for public input are good steps, but ones that should have been taken before the plant was opened.

Ball, the owner of the used car business, said Monday that his son, Colton Conroy , 15, has been sickened by SoyChlor emissions. A month ago, the high school sophomore collapsed at a football game, and a treating physician blamed SoyChlor emissions for health problems that first emerged after the plant opened.

Since his collapse, the teenager has lived with his maternal grandparents, south of town, and his symptoms have subsided, said Ball and his wife, Diane Conroy.

"He could run track and play football and everything a year ago, and had no problems whatsoever," Ball said.

SoyChlor uses hazardous materials, including hydrogen chloride, to make a patented product added to feed for dairy cows. Hydrogen chloride is a noxious gas that can be toxic to humans and animals.

When mixed with moisture, it becomes hydrochloric acid, a highly corrosive substance capable of eating through motor vehicle finish, pitting glass, and killing wildlife and vegetation — all of which have occurred, residents say, in the "fallout zone," an area extending a mile or more in every direction from the plant. The gas, the acid and particulate matter tainted by the gas or acid are emitted through a stack that sits atop a concrete tower at the north end of the plant.

"In Iowa, when you live in a community this size, you accept it because it's agriculture," said Jeff Ostendorf, a Jefferson livestock producer who works at MicroSoy Corp., a soy-based food ingredient manufacturer located across the street from SoyChlor. "This is different."

Bonnie Burkhardt lives south of SoyChlor, across the street. One day last week, she paged through notebooks and three-ring binders in which she has kept meticulous track of communication about the dispute with public officials, company officials and others in the community.

One notebook detailed the potentially harmful effects of the toxic substances used by SoyChlor, along with reports from medical doctors treating Burkhardt and others who say they have suffered health setbacks this year.

Formerly vibrant children now sleep way too much and run low on energy quickly, families say. Colton Conroy, a 15-year-old pushing past 6 feet tall, got winded easily and began to lose weight, his mother said. Adults with respiratory ailments, including Norma Gross and Ron Lawton, said they had been improving with the help of medical treatments, but now say they have gotten worse.

Last year, Gross was doing well, despite her chronic lung disease. But after SoyChlor opened, she lost ground quickly, struggling to breathe. Her physicians at University Hospitals in Iowa City, where she has been participating in a research project, urged her to move away, she said. But she is a lifelong resident, and she and her husband raised 10 children here. Gross doesn't want to live anywhere else.

Also alarming to Gross and Burkhardt is the loss of wildlife. Gone are the pigeons that used to sit atop tall grain storage structures north of the SoyChlor plant, they said. Gone are the bluejays, cardinals, goldfinches and other birds that used to perch on the numerous feeders in Gross' backyard. She has not seen a bird for weeks.

"It was like all of a sudden there weren't any birds anymore, not even sparrows," said Gross, who lives in a tidy trailer park within a mile of the plant.

In addition, spots have surfaced on the finish of vehicles and on the siding of homes and other buildings, even on mailboxes.

Jefferson residents said West Central's insurer had hired a Florida firm to clean vehicles affected by the emissions. They also said the insurer had offered checks of up to several hundred dollars to residents claiming property damage, although recipients were required to sign a form releasing the co-op and its affiliates from further claims.

Burkhardt said she first noticed that something was wrong when her skin would burn while she worked in the flower garden. Eventually, it drove her indoors, where she would shower to make the burning stop. That was last spring, after she spent several months in Florida with her husband, Chuck.

At the same time, Arletta Tasler and her husband returned from a winter in Texas. They both developed coughs that have lasted for months, they said. At times, Tasler said, she has coughed so hard that she has vomited.

Like Burkhardt, the Taslers had no clue about the cause.

Burkhardt and her friend Diane Conroy talked to neighbors and people working at nearby businesses. Within a mile of Burkhardt's home, they found dozens of people reporting similar symptoms. They had noticed a strange odor first, like the scent from a bag of empty beer cans left in the hot sun for a day, Conroy said.

Then came health problems. Then the spots on vehicles and on buildings. Then filminess on windows and windshields that scrubbing could not remove. And some noticed that their eyeglasses had become pitted.

The women searched the Internet for information about SoyChlor and the chemicals it used.

The more they learned, the more they became convinced that the culprit was SoyChlor.

"If you get this on your siding, if it's pitted, think what it's doing to your lungs," said Tasler, who lives with her husband of 49 years, Shorty, on a farmstead directly east of the plant where they raised eight children.

Burkhardt, Conroy and others contacted the head of city sanitation, the public health nurse and the local newspaper editor. They began contacting the government — environmental and safety regulators, Iowa's U.S. senators, even the White House.

Conroy and her husband, Jeb Ball, contacted their lawyer in Des Moines. He referred them to George LaMarca, another Des Moines lawyer. LaMarca knew just how deadly hydrogen chloride could be. The gas had incapacitated some of the victims in Des Moines' deadliest fire ever, which swept the Younkers store at Merle Hay Mall on Nov. 5, 1978. LaMarca represented victims' survivors in litigation that lasted for years and, ultimately, resulted in an undisclosed settlement for the plaintiffs.

He has just five words for the co-op: "We want the plant closed."

Written by Spencer Fraise, owner of www.iowahealthinsurance.biz after experiencing the issue first hand while staying with his girlfriend's mother. The SoyChlor plant can be seen from the kitchen window of her house which is only a couple of blocks away.

By Spencer Fraise
Published: 7/22/2006
 

 How Parents Can Affect Their Children's Weight
Can parents help affect the weight of their children? This article describes a number of ways in which they can have a significant affect on their weight and ultimate livelihood.
How Parents Can Affect Their Children's Weight
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Recent studies have shown that there is an increasing trend in the number of overweight and obese children. In fact, there are estimates that say up to 15% of the children in UK fit this description. It is a sad fact, to say the least. Some experts go so far as to say that because of the children’s bad eating habits and lack of exercise, more and more parents will end up burying their own children.

So, what can the parents do about this? Here are eight thoughts to ponder and hopefully take action on.

Obesity and excess weight gain are usually a direct result of poor eating habits and lack of exercise. The key here is to provide your child with a balanced healthy diet and encourage physical activities.

Realize that not all overweight issues are hereditary. Many experts say that in reality, only a small percent of obesity and weight gain can be attributed to heredity….. So don’t automatically blame your genes!

Children often mimic the bad eating habits and inactivity of their parents. Therefore set an example by eating balanced meals and exercising regularly. When the children are very young, they will want to eat what is on your plate. What better time is there to start some good eating habits yourselves?

Encourage your children to walk more and take part in physical activities. Parents do not need to continually drive their children every where when they can easily walk there. Also, monitor the time they spend in front of the television. How does this compare to the time they spend outside playing or participating in some physical activities.

Minimize fast food, sweets, and convenience meals. They are all high in calories and full of salt and sugar. They are cheap, available and targeted to our children through television, so beware.

Luckily it is easier to change a child’s eating habits than it is to change an adults. If you are concerned about your child’s weight you should encourage them to eat a variety of fresh foods that are nutritious. You should also replace foods that are high in fat such as cookies, chocolate, and cakes with alternatives that are healthy such as fresh fruit, wholegrain bread or crackers.

The way you cook (and shop) also has an effect on their (and your) weight. That is, grill or bake foods rather than fry them. Watch the types of carbohydrates you eat. Buy fresh fruit juices rather than sodas. Start their day with low sugar cereals. Minimize the amount of sweets (chocolate) in the house and substitute, instead, things like dried fruits, nuts and granola.

Develop good eating habits.

--To prevent children grazing all day, provide them with regular meals at set, routine times. Don’t allow your child to each while they do homework or watch television.
--Use mealtimes as an opportunity for the family to sit together at a table.
--Encourage your child to listen to what their stomachs tell them so they learn to only eat when they are hungry as opposed to eating out of habit.
--Teach your child to chew their food thoroughly and eat at a slower pace so they savour and appreciate their food.

Ask your child to assist you when you are preparing food so they are more interested and aware of what they are eating. A child who has helped prepare a healthy meal is more likely to eat it. Encourage older children to keep a food diary to identify the times they are likely to snack.

There you have eight points on how the parent can influence the eating habits of their children, which in turn, should positively affect the child’s weight gain.

For more information please visit http://www.five95ebooks.com/Nutrition.html and see how you can learn more about the basics of nutrition. To see our growing list of other $5.95 eBooks, please visit www.Five95eBooks.com where all ebooks are $5.95.

By Bruce Dinger
Published: 5/6/2006

Childhood Obesity Study
How many more dire predictions do we need from one childhood obesity study after another before we take action? Let's make junk food manufacturers put health warnings on their nutritionally barren, hazardous foods...
Childhood Obesity Study
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An Australian study into childhood obesity by the University of Sydney found that the number of children exercising is 20% higher than in 1997.

Strike one down for the good guys in the war against childhood obesity.

Unfortunately this childhood obesity study also found that the rate of obese children in Australia has increased in children aged between 4 and 16.

What's the problem.

One of the authors of this childhood obesity study - Dr Michael Booth - said our kids are "simply eating too many calories primarily through junk foods."

Dr Booth went on to recommend some kind of restriction on marketing junk foods to kids.

Dr Booth is a captain in the fight against childhood obesity.

I say make the junk food advertisers tell the truth.

How many more dire predictions do we need from one childhood obesity study after another before we take action.

Let's make those junk food manufacturers label their products with warnings like "trans fatty acids in this food have been linked to obesity, cancer, depression and a wide variety of disease."

Or "this nutritionally barren food is laden with sugar which stimulates the production of insulin in your body leading to a cascade of destructive hormones linked to disease."

But we can't completely blame the junk food companies.

As parents a lot of the time we're the ones buying this junk food for our kids.

A great diet and lifestyle starts at home.

And you can get started with a few insider secrets to raising a healthy child by listening in to the free audio at http://www.raisingahealthychild.com

The greatest childhood obesity study in history is taking place right now and ALL our children are the subjects.

The question is, as a parent are you going to let this be one of those awful studies where all the kids end up with horrible disease...

Or are you going to fight the good fight and help your child become slim, healthy and happy.

By Andrew Cavanagh
Published: 4/29/2006
 

Yoga for Kids - Torment Of A Silent Mind
Silence is golden but not for the tormented child.
Yoga for Kids - Torment Of A Silent Mind
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Why is it that Yoga for kids is becoming even more popular today than it was in days of yesterday, well children are just as much prone to suffer from stress just like adults do. How can this be a great many would ask? Kiddies pressure come from additional education requirements (like more homework) We all know the importance of furthering our child’s education to give them a better chance in life but when it can destroy life then it is time to take action.

Yoga for kids is a priceless gift to give to a child where they lay claim to peace of mind. Pressure put upon our kids today can be brought on by other factors like being bullied. Children also suffer at the hands of the parents while watching them worry over debt or whatever comes with surviving in the 21st century. How can we help the mind of a tormented child, simple introduce them to Yoga?

Yoga for kids help them become aware of the body and start to understand how vital it is to keep in good shape. Even at an early age kids need to develop better body awareness and after doing this they take control all by themselves to lead an active healthy life. Children who practice yoga self educate themselves on self control flexibility and coordination.

Exercises for children have proven in some cases to assist slowing down Hyper active behaviors. Yoga has helped kids by channeling their impulses in a positive way. Yoga moves for minors differ just like that of the way adults practice. A couple of poses for children that work perfectly well are the Warrior pose and the Tree poses. Both are exercises that help the child to find calm, build up confidence and balance.

Some children take to yoga like water of a ducks back whereas others have to be coaxed and need assurance and the benefits pointed out to them. The secret behind getting a dubious child to enroll in a yoga class is to explain how it is a popular craze among other children. Point out how much fun it can be. Explain in fine detail of the Warrior posture moves in your quest to encourage the child. Ease their discomfort if afraid to practice yoga alone. Let them know they can team up with a partner, this will also help build up on their team skills therefore gaining a bonding with others.

There will be times where the children will find it difficult to focus and concentrate but is that not the case with all children whether practicing yoga or not. Children and relaxation are not very compatible. Just to have a child close their eyes for a period of time will be task in its self. Ask the child to visualize something that he/she are interested in or enjoy doing.

Try them with the belly breathing yoga exercise while listening to soothing relaxation music. Ask them to imagine they are up in space floating or making sand castles on the beach. After the session is over invite the child to share their experience of how they felt while practicing the Yoga for Kids routine.

If they divulge their secret thoughts then this can only mean that the child has opened up and what a major breakthrough that is. To have your child share a secret is enough to say they want to be heard.

Those silent thoughts that once troubled your little boy/girl will give you as a caring parent the insight on how to deal with what was once a tormented silent mind.

Yoga for kids is the healthiest wealthiest form of knowledge for any child.

100% fit in mind body and soul is what healthy living is all about. With yoga you claim what is rightfully yours.- control. http://www.want2yoga.com Take steps now to move on with your life http://www.allaboutonlineeducation.com

By Kacy Carr
Published: 3/11/2006
 

What Parents Can Do To Help Children With ADD
What Parents Can Do To Help Children With ADD
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Once your child has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, you may feel a bombardment of emotions: guilt, for feeling responsible; relief, for understanding the cause of your child’s behavior; or anger. As you sort through all of the emotions, it is important to understand your child’s position is not a hopeless one. Many things can be done to help your child reach their full potential and to deal with the disorder.

The first thing you should do to help your child is research ADD; learn everything you can about the disorder. You will be more help to your child if you fully understand what they are up against, common treatments, and what to expect down the road. You will also be more prepared to work with your child’s doctor in effective management of the disorder.

You should also decide, with the help of your doctor, if your child should be medicated. This is a personal decision and can be only be made by you. Some parents feel they are giving their child the best opportunity they can by providing a means to a normal life. Others feel as though medication is not an option. Whatever your decision, you should be educated and certain of your decision.

Regardless of if you use medication, you should implement certain behavior therapy guidelines to help your child control their behavior. These train your child to utilize lifelong skills to be effective and productive. You should have set behaviour guidelines, as well as consequences. Children with ADD need clear expectations and consistent discipline.

You should be supportive of your child; you are their best advocate. In school, be sure they are being treated in a manner that will ensure their growth and development, as well as at home. You should consider yourself, your child’s teachers, and doctors a part of a team whose goal is to help your child succeed.

Help your child grow to be a confident and happy person. Acknowledge their strengths and tell them how much you love them. Children with ADD often suffer depression and low self-esteem; if you know this is the case, take measures to help avoid this fate for your child. Seek professional help if necessary.

Consider joining a support group and seek out people that share your situation. Often the best advice you can take is from someone that has been in your shoes. Utilize life experience!

Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Cohn’s Disease.

For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now.

By Sarah Jenkins
Published: 2/23/2006
 

Types of ADD Manifestation in Children
Types of ADD Manifestation in Children
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Attention Deficit Disorder wears many faces among children. While the hyperactive, rebellious boys are easy to spot, there are also several other types of children that suffer from ADD that go undiagnosed because of their less conspicuous behavior. Girls often fall into this category.

Some girls are referred to as the "tomboy" type. Preferring more physical activities, they often exhibit some of the key characteristics of ADD, without the defiant behavior of their male counterparts. For this reason, parents and teachers will usually assume the child is not academically inclined and unorganized, but never consider ADD to be a possibility.

Another often undiagnosed group of ADD children are the "chatty" girls. This type is a combination of inattentiveness and hyperactivity and is typically exhibited as being extremely social. More hyper-talkative than hyperactive, these girls have a very difficult time keeping quiet even after being disciplined for talking. They will also tend to jump around a lot when telling stories and organizing their thoughts.

"Daydreamers" are another category often overlooked as having ADD. These girls are usually very quiet and do not draw attention to themselves. However, their extreme inattentiveness is a standard ADD trait. They may exhibit depression and anxiety about school projects, but are not able to stay on task to complete assignments. These are probably one of the most difficult children to diagnose, as teachers and parents do not usually notice the behavior as being a problem and assume the child is simply lazy.

Interestingly enough, there are also a lot of "gifted" girls with ADD. High IQ levels may make it easier to cope with inattention and impulsiveness, but as a child ages, their shortcomings often emerge. It must be remembered that ADD is not a learning disability, and sufferers do not inherently perform poorly in school. They may be able to mask their disorder well into middle or high school, where it them makes itself apparent as work becomes more difficult and assignments become more pressing.

Attention Deficit Disorder can cause many problems when it goes undiagnosed. It will often be assumed children are lazy, unintelligent, and unorganized, when in actuality, they suffer from this disorder. They will often grow up with poor self-esteem and think themselves quitters, or even worse, think they are stupid because of the problems they have. It is important to notice these traits and treat them accordingly to prevent any long term consequences of the disorder.

Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Crohn’s Disease.

For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now.

By Sarah Jenkins
Published: 2/10/2006 

Why Your Child’s School Needs an AED
Every year, seemingly healthy children suddenly die from heart failure. Automated external defibrillators are an affordable and highly effective device that could save many of them. Learn why every school should have one of these amazing devices.
Why Your Child’s School Needs an AED
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Automated External Defibrillators, commonly known as an AED, have saved thousands of lives since their formal induction into the world outside of hospitals and ambulances. Every place from apartment buildings to airports to shopping malls are investing in AEDs and keeping them on hand in the event they should need to be used in order to save a life. Having an AED at your child’s school is an invaluable insurance policy -- although no one may ever need the AED, it is there in case someone—regardless of age—enters into cardiac arrest. Along with this popularity in personal and public locations all over the world, many schools have adopted defibrillator policies and are placing AEDs alongside of the tongue depressors in the nurse’s office.

According to the informative Web site Start A Heart, automated external defibrillators are lightweight, portable devices that can jumpstart a victim’s heart by using an electrical pulse called a biphasic shock. Guiding the rescuer with a combination of simple and clear voice, text and graphical instructions, AEDs do nearly all of the work, enabling practically anyone save a life!

Several states have gone too far as to pass legislation requiring schools to have an AED under their roofs. This is critical to ensure the safety and health of the students currently attending that specific school. You should speak with the principal or administration at your child’s school to see if that specific school houses an AED or if they fall under the legislation. One such state that has passed legislation is the state of New York. Passed in May of 2002, this legislation requires all public schools to come equipped with an Automated External Defibrillator. Each school is required to purchase an AED in addition to having trained staff on hand that is completely knowledgeable on how to work the defibrillator.

The legislation may not specify regarding this training, but generally schools that have an AED on the campus will encourage educators to become trained into how to work the AED. This is especially important, since more than one individual should be completely aware on how to work the defibrillator in case of emergency and the school nurse or trained individual is not to be found. By training several faculty members of any school, the time required to find an individual knowledgeable enough on how to use the AED is dramatically cut, which can directly affect the individual suffering from the heart related problem. Although it may seem like overkill, many schools offer special incentives to teachers who enroll in an AED training program in order to be able to help in the event of an emergency.

Parents don’t always realize that children can suffer from heart problems and might require the assistance of an AED. Many still remember the tragic death from star basketball player Hank Gathers, who collapsed and died of a heart attack during a college basketball game. His death has served as a reminder that even seemingly healthy youngsters can be at risk for heart failure.

Having an AED located directly within the school will allow the child to have a much better survival rate, since he or she will not have to wait a great deal of time between when the medical emergency actually occurs and when the paramedics arrive on the scene. With an AED on hand, an informed individual will be able to directly administer medical assistance that may allow the child to survive until the medial professionals arrive. If your child’s school does not have an AED on hand, consider starting a fundraiser program so that the school will have the necessary funds for purchasing an AED.

By Mitchel Harad
Published: 12/16/2005 

Building A Strength Training Routine For Your Child
Learn the basics of building a strength training program for children. It provides helpful hints to introduce your child to weights.
Building A Strength Training Routine For Your Child
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Sally is ready to join the basketball team this year. You encourage her, tell her to practice everyday, and even join in on the team's fundraising efforts. As adults we know the positive health benefits that come with exercise and strength training. These exact same benefits can be applied to children as well.

Building a safe and effective weight training routine for Sally is easier than one may think. The program should include the use of light free weights, an exercise for each muscle group, and a proper warm up and cool down. Let's not forget the ultimate goal of having fun!

Kids love to run and jump all over the place. Encourage that playfulness while working on strength training programs as well. Be sure to focus on proper form and technique and not on physique or bulking up.

Children who have not yet gone through puberty should not even consider adding lean muscle mass to their bodies. Save that goal for a later date. Just let your children have fun and experience strength training in a fun and positive environment.

Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. Before you know it, Sally will have better grades, better games, better self-esteem and a healthier life. Remember you may be Sally's biggest role model.

Lynn VanDyke has created the ultimate guide to melting the fat. Over 400 pages packed with 200+ exercise photos, 160 daily menus, 63 secrets to sticking with it and loads more. If you've ever wanted a professional to simply tell you the best way to melt the fat, then visit http://melt-the-fat to learn more.

By Lynn VanDyke
Published: 12/10/2005 

 Let Your Child Gorge On His Gummy Bears!
Do you frown at your kid munching away those gummy bears? They could be a source of much-needed nutrients that he may refuse to eat otherwise!
Let Your Child Gorge On His Gummy Bears!
Does your kid refuse to eat his greens? Does he or she love gummy bears more than the fruits and veggies you want him to eat everyday? You are not alone. Many parents face the same problem.

Most children are fussy eaters. They love all kinds of junk food and processed food. They would hardly take a look at all those fruits and veggies you put on their tables, but they will gobble up gummy bears with gusto. Responsible parents have always fretted over their children's affinity for junk food. A growing child needs proteins and vitamins. Lack of these in their daily diet can affect their immunity to diseases. Children fed on a diet of junk and refined foods tend to be frailer and may also do badly in their studies. It can also affect their behavior.

This last point is not been given as much importance as it should be. When the Appleton Central Alternative High School replaced vending machines with water coolers and started offering fresh vegetables, fruits, whole-grain bread and a salad bar in place of the hamburgers and french fries, vandalism among the students nosedived!

The question is how will you make your child eat more nutritional food. In any case, pushing fruits and vegetables down their throat is not an answer. Not just because of the unpleasantness it will cause, but because pollution and other factors have reduced the quantity of vitamins and other nutrients in those foods. You may cram your child's stomach with fruits, but he or she may still not get the right quantity of nutrients needed daily.

Children's food supplements containing a revolutionary new class of sugars called glyconutrients could be the answer to the problems faced by parents.

What are glyconutrients. Essentially these are a class of sugars that have been found to be of immense importance in the body's fundamental process of cell building. A lot of research is currently going on about the effect eight sugars from this class of saccarides have on the body. Two of these, glucose and galactose, are abundant in our diet. The remaining six -- mannose, fucose, xylose, N-Acetylglucosamine, N-Acetylgalactosamine, and N-Acetylneuraminic acid - are mostly missing from our food. Glyconutrients strengthen our immunity, and help the body fight many diseases.

The problem is how to get the children to eat these glyconutrients. Glyconutritionals or food supplements containing glyconutrients are now available that resemble and taste like the junk food your children would like to snack on. So if you child loves gummy bears, it would be easy to get him to eat those scrumptious, delicious, colorful gummy-bear shaped glyconutritionals made from natural ingredients. For once, you won't disapprove of your child chewing on those gummy bears!

By Lisa Hyde-Barrett
Published: 10/13/2005