Don’t let the sugar in those treats trick you and harm those precious pearly whites! Our dental experts have a few tips to help you sort through all that yummy candy on halloween night so that you reduce your risk of getting cavities.
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With summer in full swing, it’s important to balance allowing your child to enjoy their time off and ensuring they don’t spend too much time on their phone. Managing screen time can be challenging with the allure of social media, games, and endless online content. By setting clear boundaries, offering engaging alternatives, and promoting various activities, you can help your child make the most of their summer while developing healthy phone habits. Here are some practical tips to guide you in managing your child’s phone time effectively.
By implementing these tips, you can help your child develop healthy phone habits and enjoy a well-rounded, active summer. For questions related to your child’s overall health, call 480-882-4545 and schedule an appointment with your child’s NOAH provider.
We know it’s not always easy to get kids to practice good dental hygiene. However, it’s a good idea to assess your family’s oral health habits year-round and, if needed, make adjustments to ensure everyone stays on track. Here are a few tips that will help you encourage your little ones to practice oral health at a young age, setting the foundation for healthy adult teeth.
If you are having a difficult time getting your child to brush, consider changing things up a bit with a new toothpaste. Not all kids like the minty taste of adult toothpastes. Children’s mouths are more sensitive and the tingling sensation associated with a minty toothpaste can often create a burning sensation. Instead, help your child to select a more kid-friendly toothpaste with a fun taste, such as bubblegum. Browse toothpastes containing the American Dental Association seal of approval here.
It is always a good idea to change out toothbrushes at least a couple of times per year and after you have been sick. Let your child pick out a special toothbrush they are sure to use. Cool designs, characters, and interactive components will have your child reminding you when it’s time to brush.
Make brushing time feel like less of a chore and more like playtime by playing a song when your child is brushing his or her teeth. The American Dental Association recommends brushing two times a day for two full minutes. This is about the same length as a song. Have your child select a song of their choice and play it during brushing time.
Whatever your child sees you do, he or she will want to do as well. By brushing your teeth together, you set a good example and can encourage your child to develop good brushing habits.
Flossing can be challenging, even for adults. To make the process easier for your child, consider using small flossers that are made just for them. Try flossers with bright colors and animal shapes.
Kids are often motivated to complete chores when offered fun incentives. Try using NOAH’s free printable daily tracker to keep track of each day that your child brushes and flosses. At the end of each week, let your child choose a healthy reward. Implementing a reward system is a great way to encourage and make dental health fun.
It is not unusual for some children to be afraid of a visit to the dentist. Help your child feel more comfortable by setting a positive example and avoiding the use of negative words, such as pain or hurt.
“Nosebleeds are very common in children, especially during these winter months,” says Debbie Bauer, Pediatrician. The dry air from outside combined with the dry air from heaters inside can make the skin inside the nose more fragile and sensitive. This is one of the most common reasons children get nosebleeds. Some children also get nosebleeds from picking their nose, from sniffling too much from allergies/colds, or of course from being hit in the nose.
Learn what to do if your child has a nosebleed and when to get help from a doctor below. Also, check out our tips on how to prevent nosebleeds from coming back!
What should you do if your child has a nosebleed?
– First, don’t panic! Nosebleeds are rarely serious. Your child will have an easier time following your instructions if you remain calm.
– Have your child sit down and put their head slightly forward, NEVER have them tilt their head backwards.
– Put firm pressure on either side of their nose with your fingers and hold it there for 10 minutes.
– After 10 minutes, check to see if the bleeding stopped. If it hasn’t, hold firm pressure again for 10 more minutes.
– When bleeding has stopped, gently clean blood off their face with water but do not put anything in their nose or have them forcefully blow their nose.
When should you get help from a doctor?
– If your child has a nosebleed for more than 20 minutes without stopping.
– If your child looks very pale, weak or sweaty.
– If you see blood in your child’s urine or stool.
– If your child has strange, unexplained bruises.
– If frequent nosebleeds are concerning you.
How can you prevent nosebleeds?
– You can use a saline nasal spray to keep their nose from getting dry.
– You can use a humidifier in their room.
– You can apply a small amount of Vaseline inside their nose carefully with a Q-tip.
– If your child picks their nose, keep their fingernails trimmed short.
At NOAH, we’re here for you. If you have any questions for your child’s pediatrician, give us a call at 480-882-4545. You can also send a message to your pediatrician via your child’s MyChart account.
During this unprecedented and often challenging time in the world, we need to consider the impact everything has on children. The COVID-19 pandemic can be particularly tough for children’s mental health and their ability to learn. NOAH’s Behavioral Health team shares expert insight, best practices, and resources in this series of posts to help children maintain mental health in the era of COVID-19, social distancing, and distance learning.
Children experience the world around them – the good, the bad, the stressful, the happy, the uncertain – and sometimes need support to navigate everything. In many ways, children are similar to adults with mental health; identifying what is happening, talking about what is happening, and developing healthy coping skills. Here, we highlight ways to identify depression in young children and coping skills that are easy for children to do and remember.
Children who are experiencing depression may show it in a variety of ways. They may express feeling hopeless, helpless, and discouraged and as caregivers, we should listen and help them explain what they are thinking and how they’re feeling. But we must listen without judgement, or without trying to “fix” things. Parents and other caregivers don’t need to agree with what they are saying but do need to let them know that they are heard and supported. For example, “I hear you. That sounds really hard and I’m sorry you are feeling sad. I love you.”
Symptoms of depression may include:
It’s important to understand that this is more than a bad day or two, or occasional behavior changes that go away. If you see one or more of these symptoms for two weeks, they can suggest depression and you should make an appointment to get them professional help and support.
An important part of managing anxiety and fear is with healthy coping skills. These skills help you deal with stressful situations in a healthy and productive way. Mindfulness techniques are beneficial for all ages and are especially helpful for children. Mindfulness means taking time to focus on the present, be thoughtful about your feelings, focus your thoughts, and be in the moment.
These exercises take a little effort, but the investment is worth it especially now when there is such uncertainty about the future and what our world will be post-pandemic. These activities can make mindfulness work for both parents and children.
Mindfulness doesn’t have to be a big deal or extra work. Take a few minutes in the morning, after school, before bed, or a time that works for your child and family to practice mindfulness.
NOAH’s comprehensive team of behavioral health experts can work with you, your child and your entire family to address stresses, depression, coping skills, and more.
During this unprecedented and often challenging time, we should consider the impact it has on children. The COVID-19 pandemic can be particularly tough for children’s mental health and their ability to learn. NOAH’s Behavioral Health team shares expert insight, best practices, and resources in this series of posts to help children maintain mental health in the era of COVID-19, social distancing, and distance learning.
It is approximately 11 months after the COVID-19 pandemic began. In many ways, we are still adjusting to different phases of routines and “normal” life activities, and that includes children. Parents and caregivers should be able to talk about the impacts of the virus to help children understand without causing them to feel overly worried or anxious. NOAH experts support the following recommendations from the Child Mind Institute to help guide parents and other caregivers in these conversations with children.
Keep talking to your kids. When they know you will answer their questions, help find answers together, tell them the truth, and help them feel calm and safe, they will likely keep talking. Many children (and adults) are visual learners and might enjoy learning about the virus with a comic book created by NPR. More on this series for Children’s Mental Health & Learning During COVID to come!
By Dr. Mason Wedel, MD PGY1
September is National Childhood Obesity Month, a time to raise awareness of this growing concern for children. Obesity is a major public health problem for children everywhere, putting them at higher risk for other chronic medical conditions such as diabetes and asthma. Having obesity as a child also makes children more likely to become obese adults.
“About 1 in 5 (19%) of children are obese today.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Here are some tips to prevent or combat childhood obesity:
These tips will help your child have more energy, control their weight, strengthen their bones, increase their self-esteem and live an overall healthier life. Be sure to have a medical home for your entire family and talk with your child’s doctor about any concerns like childhood obesity. Follow these tips daily and help stop the rising number of children with obesity.
It is officially summer, and the kids are out of school. Yay! During this time, it is especially important to find healthy ways to keep them happy and active. Putting together a routine will help make it easier for your child to avoid spending too much time being sedentary on their phones or watching television.
During the summer try to minimize screen time on the following devices:
– Television
– Computers
– Smartphones
– Video gaming systems
– Tablets
Not using screen time wisely can influence how children feel, learn, think and behave in unhealthy ways.
Having a “Screen Time Plan” can help your child learn how to use electronics wisely. Try setting up a routine that is easy to follow.
For example:
• Have you made your bed, cleaned your room, finished your chores?
• Are you ready for the day – eaten breakfast, brushed your teeth, combed your hair, and gotten dressed?
• Have you read for 20 minutes?
• Have you done some type of physical activity for at least 30 minutes -1 hour? (examples: playing outside, riding bike, jumping on the trampoline, playing a sport, dancing, tumbling).
• Have you done something creative today? (examples: draw, color, cook or bake).
If your child completes one or more of these activities, then YES, they can have some screen time. Place limits on the amount of time spent on electronics as well. Maybe for each activity completed, they earn 30 minutes of screen time. If you are struggling to find activities for your child to do or they are just unwilling to participate in their new summer routine, schedule an appointment with your NOAH provider. We would be more than happy to help you and your child develop healthy habits. To schedule an appointment, call 480-882-4545.
For more information about creating a family media plan, visit https://www.healthychildren.org/English/fmp/Pages/MediaPlan.aspx.
Delta Dental of Arizona partners with NOAH to reach low income communities
Statistics show tooth decay in children and adolescents is twice as high for underserved families than those from higher incomes due to lack of education about the importance of oral hygiene. Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (NOAH) received a $30,000 grant from Delta Dental of Arizona to deliver oral health education and screening to uninsured and under-insured children at back-to-school events, community health fairs, and other school activities in low income areas. Read more
