Cutest Babies, Kids and Siblings

2018

Cutest Babies, Kids and Sibling Contest 1

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Cutest Babies, Kids and Sibling Contest

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Cutest Babies, Kids and Sibling Contest 3

Table of Contents Centerpoint Medical Center........................ Page 2 How to Avoid Cavities...................................Page 4 Doesn’t Add Up..............................................Page 5

2018 Contest Winners..............................Page 6 & 7 Good Kids.......................................................Page 8 The Importance of Mouth guards ���������������Page 9 Spectrum Station........................................... Page 9 A New Responsibility: Kids & Devices ��������Page 10 Diaper Dilemma...........................................Page 11 State Farm Insurance.................................. Page 12

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Cutest Babies, Kids and Sibling Contest

How to avoid

CAVITIES

By Melissa Erickson

after they finish their treats, Hughes said.

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Go for chocolate

andy is a treat but almost synonymous with cavities. Keep the health of your teeth in mind the next time you think about eating sugary treats, said Dr. Cody Hughes, associate professor in residence and director of Advanced Education Program Pediatric Dentistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Some candies and snacks will get you to a cavity more quickly than others.

“The worst candy offenders are the sticky and sour varieties such as Sour Patch Kids, Sour Skittles, etc.,” said Hughes. “Also avoid candy that remains in the mouth for extended periods of time such as Gummy Bears, fruit snacks and Starburst. These types of candy prolong the amount of time sugar is in the mouth.”

Compared to these sticky, sour candies, chocolate is the better option.

“But even chocolate should be eaten in moderation, immediately following a meal, and washed down with water,” Hughes said.

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Save candy for after eating Eat sweets directly after a meal instead of as snacks throughout the day.

This will help keep your mouth’s pH level even, which is crucial to preventing cavities.

“When we eat sweets, the pH level in our mouths drops and if it falls too far, the enamel of our teeth demineralize and weaken,” Hughes said. “And when the pH remains low for an extended period of time due to frequent sugary intake, cavities develop. So eat less candy less often.”

Wash it down The quickest way to raise pH level and remove lingering sugar is to drink water. This holds true for all candy, juices and other sweet foods. Have your children swish with water and swallow

Chew sugarless gum “Chewing gum stimulates saliva production, which helps wash away sugars and other food products that bacteria in the mouth use to cause decay. However, not all chewing gums are created equal.

“Chewing gums that contain sugar should be avoided, such as Dubble Bubble and Juicy Fruit. Chewing sugarless gums may help reduce decay, and studies have shown that varieties of gum containing the sweetener Xylitol are more beneficial for oral health,” Hughes said.

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Get regular dental checkups

“Chewing gum stimulates saliva production, which helps wash away sugars and other food products that bacteria in the mouth use to cause decay.

However, not all chewing gums are created equal.”

Dr. Cody Hughes

“Candy is not the only thing that causes your dentist to have heartburn. There are many things your dentist evaluates and looks for during your check-ups, so see your dentist as often as he or she recommends.

The longer you wait between check-ups, the more likely a condition will worsen, resulting in increased costs and time to achieve optimal oral health,” Hughes said.

First visit at 1 A child’s first visit to the dentist is recommended to occur at 12 months, or within 6 months of his or her first tooth appearing.

“Many parents believe children don’t need to go to the dentist until school age, but adverse dental conditions can develop at a very young age. Even if your child doesn’t have a cavity, your dentist will discuss ways to prevent decay and give you information to help keep your child’s mouth healthy,” Hughes said.

Cutest Babies, Kids and Sibling Contest 5

Doesn’t

By Melissa Erickson More Content Now

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add up Ways to help with tough math homework

Don’t necessarily believe the internet FREEPIK.COM

f you’re a parent who has trouble helping your child with his math homework, you’re not alone. Today’s young children are exposed to math concepts earlier than their parents ever were.

What’s a parent to do when confronted with tricky homework?

“Although parents don’t play as much a role as teachers do in teaching math to elementary-age kids, they are essentially faced with the same problem when they try to help,” said Fuchang Liu, associate professor of math education in the Wichita State University College of Education, Kansas. Liu recently published a book, “Common Mistakes in Teaching Elementary Math,” based on his years of experience working with elementary school teachers.

An educator for more than three decades, Liu has some helpful tips for parents, too.

“As many common mistakes in teaching elementary math have been passed down from generation to generation, parents make similar mistakes as teachers do,” he said. “This applies to one group of parents in particular: those with children being homeschooled. Most of these parents did not go through any teacher education program, let alone any

for a deeper conversation. Get help immediately rather than waiting for the annual parent-teacher conference.

Many schools also offer beforeand after-school tutoring. Friends, family members and even the babysitter may be able to help, but Liu said to “avoid seeking help from people without proper training in math or math education. They may be well-intentioned, but advice given in the wrong direction may have a long-lasting but detrimental impact on the child,” he said.

For example, Liu recounted a fifth grader in Marion, Ohio, who texted the local police department for help on a math problem.

“The officer on duty texted back.

Despite the good intention for trying to help, the officer actually gave the wrong answer,” Liu said.

specialized training in math,” Liu said.

A parent’s anxiety about math can make homework time even more difficult. If you’re confused about homework, Liu suggests picking up a resource book to help. Look for a book that is appropriate for your child’s grade level, Liu said.

If you’re not a math guru, your child’s teachers should be your first line of help.

“After all, they teach the math their children are learning and they are doing a fantastic job on a daily basis, and many issues may be discussed with them and get solved,” Liu said.

‘That’s not how I learned it’ One common problem many parents encounter is that they may know a different way of reaching a correct answer.

If you’re baffled, reach out to the teacher

“Parents should also avoid relying exclusively on information put on the internet. Anyone can put anything on the internet, and many times the person posting the information may not have the proper understanding of the math problem being discussed. I’ve seen many YouTube videos with serious mistakes in them. Such information should only be used with a critical eye, not blindly,” Liu said.

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Cutest Babies, Kids and Sibling Contest

Cutest Babies

2018

First Place: Babies (0 - 23 months) st 1 place

Second Place: Babies

Winners

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SUBMITTED AND VOTED IN THIS YEAR’S CONTEST!

Baby’s First Name: Sawyer

(0 - 23 months)

Baby’s First Name: Alexzandria rd 3 place

nd 2place

Third Place: Babies (0 - 23 months) Baby’s Nick Name: Sweetheart Firecracker

Cutest Babies, Kids and Sibling Contest 7

Cutest Siblings

Cutest Kids st 1 place

First Place: Kids (2 - 12 years)

st 1 place

Child’s First Name: Hudson & Sawyer

Child’s First Name: Hudson

Second Place: Kids (2 - 12 years) Child’s First Name: Levi

3placerd

First Place: Siblings (any age)

Second Place: Siblings (any age) Child’s First Name: Zoe & Levi

2

nd place

Third Place: Kids (2 - 12 years) Child’s First Name: Jackson

3rd

place

nd 2place

Third Place: Siblings (any age) Photo Theme: Happy Holidays

Cutest Babies, Kids and Sibling Contest

GoodKids

By Melissa Erickson More Content Now

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Study finds fewer teens engaging in risky behaviors

public health emergency,” Grucza said.

The future can’t be predicted, but getting through adolescence without getting involved in drugs tends to protect against adult drug problems, he said.

“But one major caveat here is that some drugs are more dangerous than others. Even if this generation of teenagers grows up to be less vulnerable to opioid-use disorder, the drugs being used have shifted from pills to heroin to heroin mixed with fentanyl. Hopefully we’ll see a decrease in the number of users, but the reality is that those who become users are facing ever-greater risks of overdose,” he said.

The decline FREEPIK.COM

inally, some good news: A new study finds that delinquent behavior among teens is down sharply in the last decade. Fewer teens are drinking alcohol, using drugs, smoking or taking part in other illicit behaviors including stealing or fighting.

The national survey by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis analyzed data from more than 210,000 kids ages 12 to 17 from all 50 states between 2003 and 2014. It was sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The drop in substance abuse among teens parallels findings in other recent surveys, but until now no one has looked at how the dropoff may be linked to other behavioral issues.

“The real news of the study was the link between trends in substance use disorder and other delinquent behaviors such as fighting, theft, etc.,” said Richard Grucza, lead author and professor of psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine.

“Other studies have looked at trends in particular behaviors over time and noted declines, but our study looked at the data on an individual level.”

The study examined each individual’s risk for multiple outcomes and found that the decline in delinquent behavior could be explained on a “person level rather than by factors that influence specific behaviors. In other words, it’s not that we’re doing

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a better job at preventing smoking or drinking or fighting, etc., but that something is changing that is creating healthier, more resilient kids,” Grucza said.

Less risky behavior Other researchers have found that teens are delaying sex and using seat belts more often than their parents and grandparents.

Grucza’s team focused on substance-use

disorders involving alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, opioids and other prescription or nonprescription drugs — and delinquent behaviors. The six behaviors studied were fighting, stealing, attacking a person with intent to injure, selling drugs, carrying a handgun and being involved in a group fight.

“This study is really good news, especially with the opioid crisis just announced as a

Adolescent crime rates have been in decline since the early 1990s, and teen drug use has been gradually declining since the mid-’90s, Grucza said.

The study looked at three potential causes for the decline: • A reduction in lead exposure, which is strongly connected to changes in brain function and, by correlation, crime rates.

• A drop in child abuse and neglect, strongly linked to a number of adverse mental health and behavioral consequences.

• More focus on treatment of childhood mental health issues such as ADHD or attention deficit disorder.

“There are probably other contributing factors, such as smaller family size and a long-term trend toward higher IQ rates, but these changes are slower, longer-term trends and probably don’t account for a sharp change over the course of 12 years,” Grucza said.

Cutest Babies, Kids and Sibling Contest 9

MOUTH BIGSTOCK.COM

WATCH YOUR

“Wearing a mouthguard reduces the chances of tooth fractures, tooth dislocations and soft tissue cuts. The guards also protect against jaw fractures and concussions by absorbing the energy of a traumatic blow to the chin.”

Dr. Ken Tilashalski

By Melissa Erickson More Content Now

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ommon sense says that if your child is playing a contact sport, he or she should be wearing a mouthguard, but kids don’t always do what’s in their best

interest.

Dentists estimate that between 13 and 39 percent of dental injuries occur while playing sports. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that sports-related dental injuries are responsible for more 600,000 emergency room visits a year, resulting in nearly $500 million spent on replacing teeth each year.

The National Youth Sports Foundation for Safety reports that an athlete is 60 times more likely to sustain damage to the teeth when not wearing a protective mouthguard. These injuries may result in permanent damage and require medical intervention.

There are plenty of not-so-great reasons

kids give for not wearing mouthguards.

Some may not know they should be wearing them. Others may give into peer pressure and opt to go without, or simply feel that a mouthguard interferes with speech or is too uncomfortable.

The bottom line is that mouthguards protect teeth against injury and loss and can even protect against mild concussions, said Dr. Ken Tilashalski, associate dean for academic affairs at University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Dentistry.

“Wearing a mouthguard reduces the chances of tooth fractures, tooth dislocations and soft tissue cuts. The guards also protect against jaw fractures and concussions by absorbing the energy of a traumatic blow to the chin,” Tilashalski said.

What to look for Kids being kids, the best mouthguard is the one that will actually be worn, he said.

There are three basic types of mouthguards:

Mouthguard tips “Mouthguards need to be replaced as they wear down, and athletes in the tooth-forming years will have to have these replaced more often as the mouth grows and the teeth change,” Tilashalski said.

Rinsing guards off after use and storing in a hard container will help keep germs from building up. Athletes should not chew on the guards, as it will dramatically shorten their lifespan, he said.

If a tooth is knocked out, the best thing to do is to put the tooth back into the socket.

“Even if a tooth has been knocked out, it often can be saved if you get to a dentist quickly enough,” said Lina Soler-Ballman, assistant professor and director of the pediatric dentistry clinic at University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Parents and children have to play it safe when protecting teeth, Tilashalski said.

“I have four soccer players at home,” he said. “Having a mouthguard in place seems a small price to pay to prevent a lifetime of dental treatment as a consequence of a knocked-out tooth.”

• Ready-made or stock, which are preformed and ready to wear.

• Mouth-formed or boil-and-bite, which come in a preformed shape and are customized by softening in boiling water.

• Custom-made, which require a visit to the dentist.

Although other protective materials, such as goggles, helmets, shoulder pads or shin guards, are required in order to participate in sports, mouthguards sometimes are not.

“Our family rule is that a mouthguard

must be worn for both practices and games,” Tilashalski said.

Organized sports that have the most oral injuries include basketball, wrestling, field hockey, ice hockey, football, soccer, lacrosse, baseball and softball.

“Many cases of facial trauma are actually seen in unorganized or pickup sports activities,” Tilashalski said. “Biking, skating and skateboarding are the recreational sports that have the highest chances of injury.”

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Cutest Babies, Kids and Sibling Contest

kids. For example, your child’s soccer team may have one text conversation and the biology class study group another one.

“That’s a lot of people. If their device made a noise each time someone sent a new text to the group, their devices would sound like a grocery store checkout lane scanner: beep, beep, beep, beep. Turn off the notifications for each group text individually.

On iPhones, this is done by tapping the “i” in the top right-hand corner of the group text and choosing ‘Do not Disturb,’” Tierney said.

By Melissa Erickson More Content Now

Sign an agreement Technology contracts typically require only the child to sign it and, again typically, focus on what this

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his holiday season many kids are wishing for their first or a new device — whether that means a phone or a tablet, computer or smartwatch.

Whatever the device, the goal is most likely to keep them connected to their friends, but it also opens them up to strangers. Are they ready to manage it?

The age when your child gets his first cellphone is debatable.

A recent survey by ORC International found that 6 out of 10 parents of children between ages 8 and 12 have given their child a cellphone.

If you’re thinking of getting a child a cellphone for a holiday gift, social media expert Laura Tierney can offer some solid advice. She is the founder of The Social Institute, which helps tweens and teens navigate social media and technology use in beneficial, positive ways. Tierney is also a four-time All-American college athlete and Duke University’s Athlete of the Decade.

As you set up your child’s device for optimum connectedness and safety, Tierney suggests considering these steps:

Adjust screens for better sleep

A new

RESPONSIBILITY Tips for kids’ technology use

“Consider an agreement the whole family signs around high standards everyone agrees to live up to online, even parents. Then help each other live up to and into this positive way of online interaction.”

- Laura Tierney

child agrees not to do on social media.

“Consider an agreement the whole family signs around high standards everyone agrees to live up to online, even parents. Then help each other live up to and into this positive way of online interaction,” Tierney said.

Install ‘Ask to Buy’ If you’re an Apple-brand family, use the company’s Family Sharing and Ask to Buy features.

“That way, whenever your child initiates the purchase of a download on their device, you’ll be notified on yours, where you can review the request and either accept or decline it. They literally must ask to buy something from iTunes, like an app, a book or a movie, as well as make an in-app purchase like bonus game levels or ad removal,” Tierney said.

Turn off group text notifications Group texts are especially popular with

Evidence is mounting that blue light from phones and computer screens could make it harder to fall asleep.

The blue light of most smartphones can block the release of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep cycle, Tierney said.

“Most smart devices now come with a night mode option — Apple calls it Night Shift Mode, Windows calls it Light Night, some Android phones simply call it Night Mode. The option can be found in the main settings area on each device, usually in the display or brightness section. Whether nighttime light settings actually promote better sleep is still unknown; the best option is no screen,” Tierney said.

For more information on The Social Institute and how to win the game of social media, visit thesocialinstitute.com.

Cutest Babies, Kids and Sibling Contest 11

By Melissa Erickson More Content Now

FREEPIK.COM

W

hile everyone knows that raising kids is expensive, a new study finds that one in three families has trouble affording diapers.

The diaper need is real, according to the study from the National Diaper Bank Network and Huggies. “Diaper need” is defined as the struggle to provide enough diapers to keep a baby or toddler clean, dry and healthy. Like the price of gas, the cost of diapers impacts a range of families representing diverse economic situations, education levels and employment statuses, said Joanne Samuel Goldblum, chief executive officer of the National Diaper Bank Network.

Families budgeting their dollars and their diapers may be inclined to leave a baby in a wet or dirty diaper for longer periods of time, which can lead to health problems and quality of life issues for child and parent.

For a child, a wet diaper leads to discomfort, fussiness and crying as well as diaper rash.

“We sometimes see families who leave wet or stool diapers on an infant too long in order to save on the expense of diapers.

This can lead to a diaper rash,

DIAPER dilemma

Study: Many families choose between diapers, necessities Leaving a child in a wet or dirty diaper “chronically and not keeping the area clean can lead to bacterial and fungal infections of the skin. Poor hygiene may even be a risk factor for urinary tract infections.”

- Dr. Amy Sniderman

called diaper dermatitis. Basically, the waste combined with the chemicals in the diaper causes an irritant rash to the baby’s skin. The longer the baby is left in the dirty diaper the more severe the rash is likely to be,” said Dr. Tara Williams, pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic Children’s.

Leaving a child in a wet or dirty diaper “chronically and not keeping the

area clean can lead to bacterial and fungal infections of the skin. Poor hygiene may even be a risk factor for urinary tract infections,” said Dr. Amy Sniderman, pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic Children’s. “A pediatrician might suspect that a child is left in a diaper too long if they have chronic or hard-totreat diaper rashes, or if the hygiene is poor. However, it is important to note

that not every diaper rash is caused by leaving diapers on too long.”

Parents may feel emotionally stressed if they’re struggling with trade-offs between buying diapers and affording other household expenses, according to the study, which included information from 1,000 households with young children across the United States.

About three-quarters of all parents in diaper need felt they’re not being good parents when their children are left too long in dirty diapers, while one in three households in need experienced feeling stressed or overwhelmed by diapering always or often.

Over the past few years there’s been more awareness of diaper need, with the number of diaper banks increasing to more than 300 in 47 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Yet, 65 percent of families surveyed were unaware that diaper banks offer diaper assistance in their respective communities.

Those interested in helping families in diaper need can support the National Diaper Bank Network by making a monetary contribution at nationaldiaperbanknetwork. org. Individuals can also visit a local diaper bank or even host a diaper drive with your neighborhood, school or local organization.

To find a diaper bank near you, visit nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org.

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Cutest Babies, Kids and Sibling Contest