Total Kid Winter 2013

TOTAL HELPING ARIZONA PARENTS RAISE HEALTHY KIDS AND TEENS

KID

PLUS! wn your o

Create course fitness

ROBOTS TO THE RESCUE!

No ‘horsing around’

WITH CONCUSSIONS What’s your child’s developmental curve?

WINTER 2013

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STAGES OF MIGRAINE: Helping kids cope

Banner Children’s has pediatric care covered.

Blanky. Fuzzy. Wubby. No matter what they’re called, Banner Children’s understands security blankets.

Parents need security, too. With Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in the West Valley, Cardon Children’s Medical Center in the East Valley, and pediatricians and pediatric specialists all over, Banner Children’s has kids covered. That’s how we handle everything, from simple tummy aches to serious health issues. Isn’t it comforting to have a pediatric security blanket serving the entire Valley?

Discover what a comprehensive network of pediatricians, pediatric specialists and kid-focused hospitals can do for your sense of security.

Cardon Children’s Medical Center Banner Thunderbird Medical Center Pediatricians and Pediatric Specialists

BannerHealth.com/BannerChildrens Find a physician: 602-230 - CARE (2273) • Help support Banner Children’s: 602-747-GIVE (4483).

Connect with us:

Editor’s Letter

w

WHEN HEADS COLLIDE

hy do young siblings feel compelled to bash each other in the head with their toys?

I’ve lost count how many times my sweet 5-year-old daughter has bludgeoned my 9-year-old son with various Disney princess dolls. And certainly, he’s beaned his younger sisters with Hot Wheels on numerous occasions. Then there’s the Jim Williams old-fashioned head butt, which is also quite popular at my house.

Bottom line: kids bump their heads, whether by accident or Editor with sibling assist. The experts and father at Banner Children’s might of three not be able to answer why Cinderella has become a tool of mayhem or why young heads collide, but they know what to do when head injuries turn serious.

This was the case with Tatum Brown, our 11-year-old cover subject, who suffered a concussion in a horseriding accident. Fact is, concussions in children can cause symptoms such as vomiting and dizziness that can last weeks, even months. Read Tatum’s story on page 6.

This time of year is fraught with head colds and sore throats. Many parents struggle with knowing when they should keep their child home from school. On page 4, Dr. David Cohen of Banner Estrella Medical Center helps set some ground rules.

Children born prematurely can sometimes experience developmental issues. On page 9, read about a new Neurodevelopmental Follow-Up Clinic at Cardon Children’s Medical Center that can give these preemies a healthy boost.

I love robots. (Doesn’t every Star Wars fan?) Both Banner Thunderbird Medical Center and Cardon Children’s use a surgical robotic system called da Vinci.

The ’bot gives surgeons more dexterity and visualization, while young patients benefit from less post-operative pain and shorter recovery times. Learn more on page 11.

Finally, in Fit Kid Corner, Chrissy Cummings, a physical therapist at Banner Thunderbird, shows how you can keep your kids active by creating your own in-home fitness course. Get the skinny on page 12.

Check out these stories and many more in this issue of Total Kid. Be sure to download the Total Kid iPad app… it’s free! For details, go to totalkid.azcentral.com. lTK

Publication of Republic Media Custom Publishing and az magazine.

Cover Photo: Rick D’Elia Tatum Brown stands with her horse, Loosa.

Contents Volume: 3 Issue: 3 – Winter 2013

Young children ingesting small toy batteries can have serious consequences.

5

Stay home from school?

How to gauge when a sick child should stay home.

6

The scary thing about concussions

Signs you should look for when you suspect your child has a concussion.

9

A safety net

New Neurodevelopment Follow Up clinic gives little ones a boost.

Robots to the rescue

10

Create a fitness course

12

Surgical robots? It’s not science fiction!

Kids get fit, with no exercise equipment needed.

13

“What we wish parents knew”

Banner physicians offer helpful advice.

Kids activity page

Word search, brain-teasers and how

14

to make your own granola bars.

CREATED BY REPUBLIC MEDIA CUSTOM PUBLISHING FOR BANNER THUNDERBIRD MEDICAL CENTER AND CARDON CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER VOLUME 3, NUMBER 3 WINTER 2013 General Manager: Cami Kaiser/ckaiser@republicmedia.com Manager Creative Development: Isaac Moya/imoya@republicmedia.com Editor: Jim Williams/JLWilliams@republicmedia.com Managing Art Director: Tracey Phalen/tphalen@republicmedia.com Art Director: Carl Bezuidenhout Contributors: Rick D'Elia, Nick Kostenko, Gremlyn Bradley-Waddell Total Kid magazine is published as a service to our friends and neighbors by Republic Media Custom Publishing for Banner Thunderbird Medical Center, 5555 W. Thunderbird Road, Glendale, AZ 85306 and Cardon Children's Medical Center, 1400 S. Dobson Road, Mesa, AZ 85202. Material in Total Kid is obtained from a wide range of medical experts and health-care authorities. If you have any concerns about specific items that appear in Total Kid, consult your personal physician. To order a copy or to stop receiving Total Kid magazine, call Cami Kaiser at Republic Media Custom Publishing, 602-444-6899.

A division of Republic Media, 200 E. Van Buren St., Phoenix, AZ 85004, 602-444-1000

totalkid.azcentral.com

4

Beware of batteries

We exist to make a difference in people's lives through excellent patient care.

For information, call 602-230-CARE (2273) or visit BannerHealth.com/BannerChildrens

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Quick Hits

BEWARE OF BUTTON BATTERY INGESTION

Baby bottles, pacifiers and sippy cups…oh, my!

t

hese common kinds of baby items are, of course, intended for little ones, but parents still need to exercise caution whenever they’re being used. According to a study released in August 2012 by the Center for Biobehavioral Health and the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, researchers determined that between 1991 and 2010, an estimated 45,398 children younger than three years of age were treated in emergency departments around the country for injuries related to such products. Banner

t Children’s pediatrician Mark J. Pyle, D.O., advises caregivers to watch children and never let them run when using bottles, pacifiers, sippy cups, spoons or toothbrushes. After all, a fall can lead to a cut of the upper lip frenulum — the skin that attaches the upper gum to the upper lip — and other facial injuries. It’s best to wean children from pacifiers by six months and transition them to a cup without a lid at 12 months, Pyle says.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Pyle, call (623) 463-5000. Info at BannerHealth. com/HealthCenterVerrado.

Nothing to cheer about

t

he increasing rate of injuries, particularly those deemed catastrophic, among cheerleaders recently prompted the American Academy of Pediatrics to publish its first policy statement on the competitive, year-round sport. Although the overall injury rate remains relatively low, the report says that cheerleading has accounted for approximately 66 percent of all catastrophic injuries in high school girl athletes over the past 25 years. J. Hunt Udall, M.D., a Banner Children’s pediatric orthopedist, says it’s important to keep the numbers in perspective, and while he doesn’t consider cheerleading a dangerous sport, it is important to take proper safety precautions. “Make sure the coach is doing things in a controlled setting,” Udall says, “and that proper techniques are being used.” Cheerleaders should do lots of stretching and get adequate rest, especially since many often compete in gymnastics as well. He says young women also should check with their doctor to be sure they’re eating an appropriately well-balanced diet and getting sufficient calcium and vitamin D. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Udall, call (480) 4127400 or (602) 865-4510. Info at BannerHealth.com/BMG.

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hose flat, round “button” batteries found in everything from toys and remote controls to musical greeting cards may look harmless, but make no mistake: ingestion by children 13 years or younger can cause serious complications and even death. Tracey Fejt, R.N., injury prevention coordinator and outreach manager for Banner Children’s at Cardon Children’s Medical

“Make sure the coach is doing things in a controlled setting.”

– J. Hunt Udall, M.D.

Center in Mesa, says all parents — especially those with youngsters ages 7 months to 3 years — need to be aware of this potential hazard, supervise their kids and keep dangerous items out of children’s reach. Just putting a battery on a slice of lunch meat will cause the alkaline in the battery to “eat” through the meat almost upon contact, and that’s strikingly similar to what happens when a button battery gets lodged in a child’s esophagus, Fejt says. Symptoms from battery ingestion include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, and if there’s any suspicion that a child ingested a battery, she recommends a visit to the emergency room.

For more information, visit BannerHealth. com/CardonChildrensPreventInjury. fall 2012

QA &

Stay at home?

H

ow do I gauge when my child should stay home from school?

i

f an otherwise healthy child has a fever, even a low-grade one, he shouldn’t go to school because fever indicates active, David I. Cohen infectious disease. An actively vomiting child stays home, of course, but if it’s been 12 to 24 hours since vomiting David I. Cohen, occurred, he may go to school medical director depending upon how he looks. of Banner A child with a stomachache Estrella Medical Center’s goes to school unless he’s emergency feverish or vomiting, and department a child complaining of a headache absolutely goes to school. A child with an earache stays home only if fever is present, and one with a mild cough but no fever goes to school. Children with a continuous cough stay home. If not infectious, it’s certainly disruptive to the class!

Hearing problems

H

ow does a pediatrician determine if a child has a hearing problem?

a

rizona is one of 43 states that have a universal newborn hearing screening Jason program. Today, when an infant gets a Vargas, M.D. newborn screening for metabolic disease, his hearing is also screened. We hope to make Jason Vargas, M.D., Phoenix missed congenital hearing pediatrician and loss a thing of the past and Banner-affiliated to start therapy as soon physician as possible. We must also consider acquired hearing loss that could be brought on by causes like infection or trauma. Pediatricians rely on several partners, including teachers and caregivers, but mostly parents, to screen for acquired hearing loss. Those concerns often warrant a referral to an audiologist for formal testing.

totalkid.azcentral.com

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Feature

THE SCARY THING ABOUT

CONCUSSIONS a

By Gremlyn Bradley-Waddell

little more than a year ago, Tatum Brown was having a day most horse-crazy girls only dream about.

The 11-year-old was astride a rescue horse at a Mesa riding arena, helping train the steed. But then something — such as Tatum’s foot slipping out of the stirrup, perhaps — spooked the animal.

“She (the horse) freaked out,” recalls Tatum, now 12.

“I flew sideways and hit my head on the fence.”

Tatum, who was wearing a riding helmet, sustained several scrapes. In fact, Tracey Fejt, her mother, says the girl mostly complained of pain to her side while being examined by on-site nurses. All day, though, Tatum also felt a pulsating pain in her head. A registered nurse as well as the outreach manager and injury prevention coordinator for Banner Children’s at Cardon Children’s Medical Center in Mesa, Fejt figured it was a migraine headache, a nuisance with which her daughter frequently contends. But as evening fell and Tatum began vomiting, “I knew we weren’t dealing with a migraine,” Fejt says.

A visit to the emergency room confirmed Fejt’s suspicions: Tatum had sustained a concussion, a temporary loss of normal brain function. The severity of the injury was not lost on Fejt, whose cousin died from a

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Tatum Brown, with Loosa, an Arabian-Appaloosa mare.

She’s back riding after suffering a concussion from hitting her head when her horse spooked. winter 2013

head injury at high school football practice years ago.

“My kid could’ve been killed if she’d not had a helmet on,” she says.

Tatum fully recovered and was cleared to return to riding after a few months. But her experience illustrates the importance of recognizing concussions in children and how they can occur even when a child wears protective gear. In fact, pediatric neurologist Tamara Zach, M.D., of Banner Children’s at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale, cites a report that indicates that for every 100,000 kids, 150 will sustain a concussion. However, since not all concussions are diagnosed and reported, it’s believed the number may be closer to 500 in 100,000.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Tamara Zach, M.D., says a wide variety of symptoms may accompany a concussion, which is essentially a bruising of the brain that leads to a temporary loss of brain function, typically brought on by a blow to the head. Some of the more common symptoms include: • dizziness • headache • nausea • slurred speech • vomiting • trouble concentrating • memory loss • fatigue

Zach says parents, caregivers and coaches should watch for a concussion any time a child is struck in the head. While concussions often happen in high-contact sports like football and ice hockey, one can occur after a child falls on the sidewalk and hits his head. And although she acknowledges that one concussion is one too many, Zach says that if the concussion is mild or moderate, generally the long-term effects are minimal. It is important to give the brain time to heal after a concussion, she notes, adding that not doing so could lead to another concussion, permanent brain damage or even death.

Healing time depends on a number of factors, but a child should always get clearance from a doctor before resuming sports activities, like Tatum Brown did. And while she is sympathetic to those kids (and their families) who “live” for a particular sport, Zach says children who sustain multiple concussions are the ones most likely to face permanent brain injury, and it’s her duty to keep them from harm.

“If there have been several concussions within a short time period, I will usually say ‘you have to rethink the sport.’” lTK

My kid could’ve been killed if she had not had a helmet on.

Some symptoms last a few weeks or even a few months after the injury occurs; patients with a severe concussion may experience symptoms for as long as six months. Also remember, Zach says, that because of their age and inexperience with injury, youngsters may not be communicative about pain or symptoms.

Loss of consciousness doesn’t always accompany a concussion, but anyone who passes out or experiences a change in mental status (such as a change in personality or disorientation) after a blow to the head should go to the nearest emergency room as soon as possible, Zach says.

But don’t rely solely on a CT scan, she cautions, because the images don’t always reveal the full extent of an injury. “I will do more neurological and cognitive testing,” she says.

For information, visit BannerHealth.com/ BannerKids, search: concussion.

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Feature

LIVING WITH

MIGRAINES Kids coping with recurring headaches require special treatment

By Gremlyn Bradley-Waddell

t

’s tough enough being a kid nowadays; no child should have to deal with migraine headaches, too.

But many youngsters do and they also deal with the other anguish migraines can cause, such as missed school days and plunging grades. The good news, says pediatric neurologist Tamara Zach, M.D., of Banner Children’s at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale, is there are effective treatments — and the earlier a child gets help, the better.

“It’s a common misconception that you have to live with these headaches,” she says, adding it is important that parents make sure children get medical help before their schoolwork begins to decline. “If your child is having migraine headaches, get a referral to a neurologist early on. Don’t wait.”

Her approach is to give young migraine sufferers preventive medicine three to four times a week, depending on their age and other health concerns.

Once they’ve stabilized and broken the migraine cycle, she’ll suggest switching to vitamins, such as vitamin B12 or co-enzyme Q10. “I’ve had many patients I’m able to take off medications entirely,” she says.

One reason professional help is necessary is to avoid “medication overuse” that Zach often sees in patients. This occurs when well-meaning parents give a child over-the-counter medication, which subsequently gets overused (more than twice a week) because of frequent migraines. Medication overuse can lead to depression and other problems, she says, which is why a doctor’s counsel is so critical.

Although no one knows exactly what brings on a migraine, numerous triggers seem to prompt them, says Jay Cook, M.D., a pediatric neurologist for Banner Children’s at Cardon Children’s Medical Center in Mesa. Triggers include processed meats, and sometimes cheeses, shellfish, perfumes, MSG (monosodium glutamate), stress, hormonal changes, poor eating habits and dehydration.

That last trigger is of special concern for Valley migraine sufferers, because it is so hot and dry in the Phoenix area, Zach says. Because so many young patients are active in sports, she recommends they drink three to four bottles of water each day and at least one sports drink to replace lost electrolytes. And anyone, of any age, who’s experiencing a migraine should immediately drink a bottle of water and a sports drink.

“It can help out,” she notes. l

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Anatomy of a migraine

A migraine headache may feel like it comes out of nowhere, but there are typically four phases, Zach says: Prodrome: This phase may occur one or two days before the patient begins feeling headache pain and can include symptoms of fatigue.

Aura: Zach says some patients may see lights or dark spots in their peripheral vision, have blurred vision or dizziness, nausea, overwhelming fatigue, difficulty concentrating or any combination of these symptoms.

Headache: Adult patients tend to feel a migraine in the form of throbbing pain on one side of the head; they can last at least two hours and as long as four days. Children feel a migraine at the front of the head or by the temples and it may last as little as one hour to as long as three days. Symptoms for both adults and children include nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and vomiting, although youngsters are less likely to throw up.

Postdrome: Even after a headache is mostly gone, symptoms such as exhaustion and depression may continue for several hours or even several days.

For info, go to BannerHealth.com/ BannerKids, search ‘migraine’ For more information about Dr. Tamara Zach and Dr. Jay Cook, visit BannerHealth.com/ BMG.

winter 2013

Feature

‘A safety net’

Neurodevelopmental Follow Up Clinic gives a boost to little ones who need it

b

abies who enter the world earlier than expected often experience delays in their developmental and physical growth, but a new clinic at Cardon Children’s Medical Center in Mesa is helping level the playing field for these youngsters.

The Neurodevelopmental Follow Up Clinic serves infants who were born prematurely at 35 weeks or less and have spent time in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), as well as any child age 0 to 3 whose development is of concern to the primary care provider, according to Judith Beck, senior manager for Cardon Children’s Pediatric Rehabilitation Center. Children may be referred by a pediatrician or another community provider, and most make their first visit to the clinic, part of Cardon Children’s EDGE (Evaluation, Development, Growth and Enrichment) Programs, by the recommended age of 4 months, or earlier if necessary.

“The clinic is kind of a safety net, if you will, to make sure nothing goes awry for these little ones,” says Beck,

adding that the clinic has served about 200 children in the 18 months that the program has been piloted. “The quicker the intervention, the quicker you can close the gap in their development and the better the outcome is.”

The clinic’s professional staff includes a neurologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, board-certified nurse practitioner and a speech-language pathologist whose focus is to get a child’s fine motor, language and communication skills, in addition to many others, on track. A child referred to the clinic will see all the specialists at an initial assessment, and Beck says this “one-stop-shop” approach is a huge timesaver for families.

Ultimately, the goal is to get these so-called “highrisk” youngsters ready for preschool, and by the time they do go to school, “they may not need additional help,” she says. lTK For more information: BannerHealth.com/ CardonChildrensNeuroFollowUp

It’s all in the numbers!

Physical and developmental growth?

Do you feel like a remedial math student when the pediatrician starts using percentages to talk about your child’s growth? It’s not as difficult to understand as you might think, says Jennifer Yuen, D.O., a pediatric neurologist for Banner Children’s at Cardon Children’s Medical Center. When doctors talk about a child’s physical growth — namely in terms of height, weight and head circumference — being in the 50th percentile just means the child is in the middle of the growth curve, right where doctors like most children to be.

“Some children are smaller and some are bigger, but whatever part of the curve they start out on, that’s the curve the child should grow on,” Yuen says. “If the child grows outside of his or her curve, that’s when there totalkid.azcentral.com

is a possible cause for concern.”

For example, if a child whose head circumference typically has been growing in the 10th percentile suddenly shoots up to the 70th percentile, a doctor will be concerned as to why the head seems to be growing so quickly. Likewise, if that same head circumference suddenly plunges to below the third percentile, the doctor will be concerned why the head is not growing. In either case, additional testing likely will be conducted to determine what is causing the distinct difference in growth.

When doctors look at developmental percentages, however, Yuen says everything is based on numbers. A number, or developmental quotient (which is different from an IQ) of 100

means a child is doing everything he or she is supposed to do for his or her age. Scores below 100 are assigned to different ranges: borderline, mild, moderate, severe and profound impairment. However, the system has its nuances.

“If a child is said to be 50 percent behind, that does not necessarily mean the child is half his age developmentally,” Yuen says. “And a percentage, when talking about development, is not necessarily carried over from year to year.”

As always, she says, parents who have questions about their child’s growth should speak with their primary care provider.

Get more information about Dr. Yuen at BannerHealth.com/BMG.

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Feature

ROBOTS TO THE RESCUE Pediatric surgery has come a long way in recent years

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winter 2013

By Gremlyn Bradley-Waddell

f

or many of Dr. Ben Donovan’s patients, surgery may seem like a scary, grown-up thing. Until, that is, the Valley urologist casually mentions a robot — yep, a robot — will be assisting him!

“The kids think it’s pretty cool, and I’ll allow them to get a peek at the robot and have a little fun,” says Donovan, a Banner-affiliated medical doctor, referring to the four-armed da Vinci Surgical System used at both Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale and Cardon Children’s Medical Center in Mesa. “The parents are always interested in the technology, too.”

Robot-aided surgery is not new. The da Vinci system, made by Intuitive Surgical, debuted in 1999 and actually doesn’t look much like a stereotypical robot. However, Donovan says it is the latest technology available and still fairly novel in the realm of pediatric medicine.

When using the da Vinci, the surgeon sits at a console just feet away from the patient. Using the high-definition, 3D-vision system that mimics open surgery, he or she manipulates the four interactive arms to create tiny, precise incisions and gain access to difficult-to-reach areas inside the patient’s body.

The surgeon is always in full control of the machine, Donovan adds, so it’s very safe and not a case of a robot actually performing the surgery.

While Donovan admits he had some initial reservations about the robot, one being that he felt he was already doing a top-notch job at traditional laparoscopic surgery, he’s now one of its biggest advocates, having seen the multiple benefits it affords.

“The robot is simply a tool to enhance laparoscopic, or minimally invasive, surgery,” says Donovan, totalkid.azcentral.com

Dr. Ben Donovan uses the da Vinci surgical robot to operate on pediatric patients at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center. who uses the robot about once a week for certain complicated adult and pediatric surgeries. “It gives surgeons more dexterity and better visualization and, typically, operative times improve, too. The system has also definitely decreased morbidity, and patients usually experience decreased blood loss during surgery, less post-operative pain and shorter hospital stays and recovery times. Robotic surgery is laparoscopic surgery to the next level.”

The da Vinci is not approved for all types of surgery, but Donovan is able to use it for many of the procedures he performs, including ureteral re-implantations and kidney reconstructions.

He continues to be impressed by the results he gets using the system.

“I had a young, 7-year-old patient who underwent ureteral re-implant surgery,” he adds, “and she played soccer four days later.” lTK

The robot is simply a tool to enhance laparoscopic, or minimally invasive, surgery.

For more information, visit BannerHealth.com/PedsSurgery

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Fit Kid Corner

FIT KID FESTIVAL COMES TO THE WEST VALLEY IN APRIL

CREATE YOUR OWN

FITNESS COURSE!

Got kids…and enough space for them to move around in? Then you have just about everything you need for a fitness course that’ll get them off the couch and having fun in no time!

“y

ou don’t need to go out and buy exercise equipment, you just need to get kids moving,” says Chrissy Cummings, a physical therapist in the Outpatient Physical Therapy Department at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale. After all, the American College of Sports Medicine says children should be active at least 60 minutes a day, she says, and that kind of activity benefits both mind and body.

“When you get their bodies moving, their brains turn on and their blood gets flowing,” she says, “and when kids get their energy ‘out’, they perform better in school.”

You can easily create an indoor or outdoor course by just looking around the house or garage for items that can serve as obstacles or features, such as: • SMALL CONES (perhaps from that forgotten soccer set) to weave around • HULA-STYLE HOOPS to lay on the ground and use as “tires” to step into • JUMP ROPES • PVC-TYPE PIPES, or even a broom, to lay across chairs so that kids can limbo or crawl under them while on their elbows, military style

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In between each activity, have young competitors execute cool moves like animal walks, jumping jacks, frog jumps, running (in place or around the yard) or, if possible, bike riding. All these movements help build strength and coordination but, just as important, they’re fun, too. And at-home physical activity is more necessary than ever before, Cummings adds, since there tend to be fewer physical education classes in schools and society is fixated on technology.

“We’re not giving children the ability to develop their bodies,” says Cummings, who notes many of the clinic’s referrals for children are related to concerns about lack of coordination and strength.

A few more of her tips for successful, at-home exercise activities include: • OFFERING KIDS A CHOICE, especially since they thrive on variety. For example, do a fitness course one week and a “walk-a-thon” the next, she says. Have a goal of, say, 12,000 steps and buy everyone in the family a pedometer to track their own steps.

• CHANGING THE ENVIRONMENT by exercising indoors or outdoors or at the neighborhood park.

• FEATURING A THEME, like the Olympics or a superheroes competition, when running a fitness course.

• TURNING ON THE TV — occasionally, that is. Find a fitness-oriented channel and follow along, or put on the Wii Fit and let everyone have at it.

• JOINING IN ON THE FUN! “Make it competitive,” Cummings says.

“They want to beat you!” l Learn more about our Fit Kid program at BannerHealth.com, search: Fit Kid.

Need some fresh new ideas to get the kids off the couch? Want to show them how easy it is to be active, healthy and fit?

West Valley families are invited to the Banner Children’s Fit Kid Festival, a free event where youngsters of all ages can learn about the importance of fitness through interactive displays and cool exhibits designed to teach them about staying active and safe — all while having fun at the same time! Families that pre-register for the event will be entered into a drawing for exciting prizes.

The festival runs from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 6 at Westgate City Center, 6770 N. Sunrise Blvd., in Glendale.

For more information, call 623-385-7502.

ZAHARIS ELEMENTARY RUNNING CLUB WINS FIT KID CAMPUS CHALLENGE

Congratulations to everyone at James K. Zaharis Elementary School in Mesa!

The school’s 50-member running club recently entered and won the Cardon Children Medical Center’s Fit Kid Campus Challenge, a contest designed to promote healthy living and wellness. The tasty prize? A school garden, courtesy of Whole Foods Market, which sponsors the contest along with News-Talk 92.3 KTAR and 98.7 The Peak.

Zaharis faculty, staff and students show their support for fitness not just through the running club, which meets twice a week to run a mile around the school, but also through other activities, including an annual Turkey Trot and last year’s appearance on “LIVE with Regis and Kelly.” During the segment, the school hosted ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes for “Run Across America,” and Zaharis principal Mike Oliver even joined Karnazes and ran 50 miles! Way to go, Zaharis Elementary! fall 2012

For Parents

“What we wish parents knew…”

A candid discussion with Valley pediatricians

What do pediatricians wish parents knew about kids’ health and well being? Cecil Michael, M.D., a Banner-affiliated pediatrician in Glendale, has two items on his list, and the first one concerns fever.

“Most parents’ perception toward fever has not changed since I started practicing about 30 years ago,” he says, “and the perception is that fever is a disease that must be gotten rid of.”

1

The truth is, he says, is fever is a symptom. It’s a body’s normal response to a trigger such as a cold virus or an ear or sinus infection. As long as the child’s temperature is not over 105 degrees Fahrenheit and the child isn’t listless and is responding normally, it’s best to make the child as comfortable as possible and allow the fever to battle the infection. As for medicine, Michael recommends either Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen), but since ibuprofen is also an antiinflammatory agent, he says it tends to be better for

pain relief. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen may also be used in an alternating fashion, but check with a doctor for dosing amounts and schedules.

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The other matter Michael wishes parents knew more about is vaccines, which lately is an especially controversial topic. The fact is, he says, there is no evidence that vaccines used by pediatricians cause autism or other serious developmental problems.

“I feel sorry for parents, because there is a lot of information out there and it is a complex issue and difficult to understand,” he says. “The best advice, therefore, is to talk with your pediatrician about any concerns.”

“Toddlers should not be allowed to play with any object small enough to fit through a toiletpaper roll tube. Those items become serious choking hazards.”

– ALAN GRAHAM, M.D., Pediatric Critical Care

“If kids would wear helmets on bikes, one in 10 head injuries in children could be prevented.”

– SCOTT ELTON, M.D., Pediatric Neurosurgeon

INFO TO KEEP HANDY More health info for kids and parents:

bannerhealth.com/ bannerchildrens bannerhealth.com/ bannerkids

Banner Poison Control: bannerhealth.com/poisoncenter 800-222-1222 Facebook: facebook.com/bannerchildrens Sign up for our e-newsletter: bannerhealth.com/econnect Cardon Children’s Fit Kid (info on fitness and nutrition): bannerhealth.com/cardonchildrensfitkid

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Kids’ Activities DIRECTIONS: Step 1: Heat oven to 350F. Coat a 9X13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Homemade granola bars

INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup margarine 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup honey 1/4 cup flour 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 tsp cinnamon 2 cups rolled oats 1 cup rice crisp cereal 1 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup sliced almonds

WHO’S GUILTY?

BRAIN-TEASER Detective Hobbs is on the trail of the guilty party who has perpetrated some atrocious puns.

“Intent to deceive” is the charge, and he is now interrogating three suspects. George says, “I’m innocent, Jane is too.”

Jane says, “Sally did it, and George is innocent.”

Sally says, “I’m innocent, and Jane did it.”

The guilty one lied, and the innocent both told the truth.

Who is the perpetrator?

(ANSWER: Sally) Source: justriddlesandmore.com

‹14›

TOTALKID

Step 2: Melt the margarine in a large pot over a low heat. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the sugar, honey, flour, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Step 3: Transfer the mixture to the baking pan. Using a sheet of waxed paper and the palms of your hands, press the granola firmly into the pan, packing it to a flat and even thickness.

Step 4: Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Allow the granola to cool one hour in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting bars.

Makes 16 to 24 rectangular bars.

Source: bannerhealth.com

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Banner Children’s has kids’ emergency care covered 24/7.

It’s nice to know that when emergencies happen, there’s expert care nearby. That’s why you’ll like knowing about Banner Children’s. With Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in the West Valley and Cardon Children’s Medical Center in the East Valley, Banner Children’s has kids’ emergency care covered, 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. Our pediatric emergency specialists can handle it all, from a broken bone to the most serious issues. And if care is needed beyond the emergency room, Banner Children’s features more than 30 pediatric specialties. Isn’t it comforting to have kid-focused care that’s easy to get to from all over the Valley?

Banner Children’s. We’ve got pediatric emergency care covered.

Cardon Children’s Medical Center Banner Thunderbird Medical Center BannerHealth.com/BannerChildrens Find a physician: 602-230 - CARE (2273) • Help support Banner Children’s: 602-747-GIVE (4483).

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iHeart KIDS Hope-athon Benefitting Banner Children’s Saturday, February 16th from 10 am - 3 pm For the 1st time in Phoenix radio history all of the Clear Channel Media & Entertainment radio stations will combine all it’s dynamic forces for a ground breaking Simulcast Hope-athon on Saturday, February 16th from 10 am - 3 pm to spread the message of HOPE. Our mission and hope is to make a difference in the lives of children afflicted by illness at Banner Children’s hospitals. Help Us, Help Valley Kids!

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