Health & Wellness

Water Safety for the Summer.......and Always!

The following is excerpted from the KidsHealth website:

Kids need constant supervision around water - whether the water is in a bathtub, a wading pool, an ornamental fish pond, a swimming pool, a spa, the beach, or a lake.

Young children are especially vulnerable - they can drown in less than 2 inches (6 centimeters) of water. That means drowning can happen where you'd least expect it - the sink, the toilet bowl, fountains, buckets, inflatable pools, or small bodies of standing water around your home, such as ditches filled with rain water. Always watch children closely when they're in or near any water.

It's a good idea to learn to swim, and kids older than 4 years should learn to swim, too (check the local recreation center for classes taught by qualified instructors). Younger children older than age 1 also may benefit from swimming lessons, but check with your doctor first. And don't assume that a child who knows how to swim isn't at risk for drowning. All kids need to be supervised in the water, no matter what their swimming skill levels. And infants, toddlers, and weak swimmers should have an adult swimmer within arm's reach to provide "touch supervision."

Invest in proper-fitting, Coast Guard-approved flotation devices (life vests) and use them whenever a child is near water. Check the weight and size recommendations on the label, then have your child try it on to make sure it fits snugly. For kids younger than 5 years old, choose a vest with a strap between the legs and head support - the collar will keep the child's head up and face out of the water. Inflatable vests and arm devices such as water wings are not effective protection against drowning.

For more information on summer safety - in all environments - camping, at the beach, severe heat and more click here!

Previous posting:

Risk of Juvenile Diabetes is High...learn the signs

Description of Juvenile Diabetes

After a meal, a portion of the food a person eats is broken down into sugar (glucose). The sugar then passes into the bloodstream and into the body's cells via a hormone called insulin. Insulin is produced by the pancreas.

Normally, the pancreas produces the right amount of insulin to accommodate the quantity of sugar. However, if the person has diabetes either the pancreas produces little or no insulin, or the cells do not respond normally to the insulin. Sugar builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine and passes from the body unused.

Diabetes can be associated with major complications involving many organs including the heart, eyes, kidneys, and nerves, especially if the blood sugar is poorly controlled over the years.

Types Of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease caused by the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin or by the body to appropriately use the insulin it does produce. There are two main types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1 diabetes (also called insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes) is caused by autoimmune destruction of the B cells of the pancreas which normally secrete insulin. Those patients require insulin injections for survival.

Type 2 diabetes (or non-insulin-dependent diabetes) is much more common and results from insulin resistance, mainly due to obesity, with inadequate additional production of insulin by the body. In other words, the pancreas produces a reduced amount of insulin or the cells do not respond to the insulin, or both.

Complications of Diabetes

If juvenile diabetes is left unmanaged, damage can occur to:

• Eyes - leading to diabetic retinopathy and possible blindness  
• Blood vessels - increasing risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery obstruction  
• Nerves - leading to foot ulcers, impotence, and digestive problems  
• Kidneys - leading to kidney failure

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Promoting Healthy Weight in Children

Local and national resources for parents, children, teachers and others working with children.

Children who are overweight face a variety of challenges, emotionally, socially and health-wise. They are more likely to suffer from low self esteem, more likely to be picked on by their peers, and are at increased risk of serious health concerns, such as diabetes, asthma, joint problems and accidental injuries, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and more. 

Follow these basic DAILY recommendations:

•  Eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables

• Drink at least 4 tall glasses or bottles of water

• Exercise for at least 1 hour

• Limit screen time and other sedentary activities to no more than 2 hours a day.

Creative initiatives are taking place in Hampton Roads and across the nation.  

Below is a sampling of resources promoting healthy lifestyles for the whole family, and research related to obesity. 

LOCAL RESOURCES:

• Healthy You Program at CHKD
• YMCA of South Hampton Roads
• Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA

NATIONAL RESOURCES & RESEARCH:

We Can!^TM Tools and Resources about weight management, nutrition, physical activity, and reducing screen time.
The Effects of Obesity (KidsHealth)
Empowering Youth with Nutrition and Physical Activity (USDA) 
Addressing Obesity via the "Energy Gap" (American Dietetic Assoc. and America on the Move)

To find more local resources, search the KPO Database.

To contribute to this webpage or other pages on this website, please contact us!

Happy Health!