Chikezirim Anyanwu

The average child starts to crawl at 8 months. Soon after they start pulling up, which means counters and other surfaces are now within their reach. It is almost impossible to keep kids a hundred percent injury free, this is because kids can be a handful with all the jumping and running which follows after they start walking. Kids will always be kids and we can’t change that, but here are a few measures that can be put in place to keep them away from the emergency room. 1. Take precaution while bathing your child While bathing your child, do not fill the bathtub to the brim, fill the tub with just enough to cover your baby's legs (2 to 3 inches of water). Ensure to use warm and not hot water. Never leave little ones in the tub unsupervised, not even for a few seconds. Put nonslip mats in the bathtub and on the floor next to the tub. 2. Keep kids away from hot kitchenware Do not be tempted to carry hot food or drink while you are carrying your baby. Keep hot food and drinks away from edges of tables and counters, also do not hold your baby while cooking on a stove. Be sure to secure oven door with an appliance latch, to prevent your child from getting burnt. Kids can burn themselves badly by grabbing pots from the stove or even by just touching it. While cooking, turn pot handles away from the front of the stove to avoid dangerous spills, and watch them closely when they are near the stove. 3. Keep your baby's crib away from things he may use to hurt himself Your child spends a lot of time in his crib unsupervised and will discover ways to grab nearby objects and climb or tumble out of the crib when you least expect it. Do not hang anything with a string above your child’s crib . Once your baby can push up on her hands and knees, you'll have to remove those adorable toys that hang down into the crib because they can be hazardous. When they can pull himself up to a standing position, move the mattress to its lowest position. Keep your child’s crib away from windows low enough for him to climb unto, and also keep his crib away from any wall with paintings or decoration hanging on it. 4. Be sure to lay your baby properly Sudden infant death syndrome is every parent's nightmare, but there are ways to reduce the risk. Be sure to always put your baby to sleep on his or her back. The sleep surface should be firm and flat. Do not use pillows, do not use fluffy bedding in the crib, and keep stuffed animals out, too. 5. Make your furniture and electrical fittings baby friendly While purchasing furniture, make sure they have rounded edges and corners. Ensure you cover any sharp areas with cushions. Firmly attach tall furniture such as bookshelves to the [...]

Most people are aware that consuming a lot of sugar isn’t good for their health, but what many people do not understand is how dangerous being addicted to sugar can be. Research has shown that sugar is directly linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in children. Sugar is so addictive that it is rare that you give a child a cookie and they are satisfied with just one, so soon after the first, they sure will ask for another. This creates unhealthy habits that follow them all the way into adulthood. As a parent, nothing gives you greater joy than to see your children happy, so the reasoning behind parents giving their children candy, cakes, and ice cream is not farfetched. Children and adolescents naturally have a craving for sugar. Most parents know how sugar affects the body and that eating processed sugar is bad and to a great extent, addictive but many parents are of the belief that since the child is young it’s no big deal. It is not uncommon for a parent to hand out rewards to their kids in form of cookies and ice cream, I have no problem with the reward process, but I believe we shouldn’t be boosting the self-esteem of our kids and damaging their health at the same time. How to Tell if Your Child is Addicted to Sugar Every parent has witnessed the scene that follows after giving a child something with high sugar content; they usually get hyperactive and jump around the house, and in the process, make a big mess. Then they fall asleep or become very moody, which you mistaken for fatigue from all the running and jumping, so you send them to bed. Trust me it’s hard to pinpoint the characteristics of a child addicted to sugar. When you are looking at a child’s behavior to see if they are addicted to sugar, many factors come into play. Chances are that they: Have difficulty with focusing and paying attention They are constantly hungry Stay up late Experience frequent mood swings and at regular intervals eat large amounts of sugar. Ways Sugar Addiction Negatively Affects Your Child 1. A cough Most children who have recurrent episodes of what looks like a cough, even after they go to bed seemingly healthy, might have taken too much sugar. These children wake up during the night with a cough and trouble breathing. This may be as a result of the combination of dairy and sugar which takes longer to digest and is highly acidic. This means that food comes back up through the esophagus and touches the vocal cord which in turn causes a laryngospasm. 2. Weak immune system Micro biome in the body is made up of trillions of good bacteria that help with digestion of food, protect it from germs and disease and also produce vitamins. But when children consume too much sugar, it may alter the balance between good and bad bacteria and therefore weaken [...]