View helpful information from these advertisers:

• A Hair for Kids Salon's "Head Lice--Don't Panic! Be Informed on What to Do."

• A Woman's Touch's "Re-igniting the Spark:  A Guide for New (and not-so-new) Parents"

• Dinner by Design's "Your Answer to Family Meal Time"

• KFL's "Online Safety for Kids and Families"

• Kids' Optique "Eye-Opening Information on Kids' Glasses"

• ViaCord's Cord Blood Banking and Research

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Head Lice

Don’t Panic! Be Informed on What to Do. 

Having your child come home with head lice is enough to send any parent into a state of panic!  However, there are steps and products to use to take care of the situation before it spreads to others in the family.

First, parents need to realize it can happen to anyone at anytime.  During the cold weather season, children are traveling on planes, going to movie theaters, sharing hats, or even hanging coats next to each other in school.  The life cycle, when the lice and their eggs can be transferred, ranges from 12 days up to 29 days.

The second step is to educate your children not to share combs, brushes, or hats with each other.  This is the method of how it spreads directly from one child to another.

The third step is to have the proper products either to stop the situation from spreading or to get rid of the problem completely.  Many of the products offered in the market are full of chemicals and pesticides that can have harmful effects on children.  A product called Fairy Tales is all natural and organic with no harmful chemicals.  There are a variety of products offered in this line, including a Lice Repel hair care line that actually repels the lice on the hair to keep lice from spreading.  Fairy Tales also has a Lice Be Gone treatment to get rid of the lice with a Terminator comb to get the eggs of the lice out of the hair.

After this process of killing the lice, you are left with the eggs that are still attached to the hair.  A product called Neon Nits is sprayed on the dry hair and actually makes the lice eggs glow.  Eggs are hard to locate because they’re so transparent, so this product is very useful in getting eggs out of the hair to get rid of the lice completely.

Next, the parent needs to wash everything in hot soapy water that has come into contact with the child.  Then, vacuum all areas of your home and place all stuffed animals in a tightly closed plastic bag for at least 14 days to kill off the lice and eggs.

If a parent is properly educated on the steps and products to use, having lice will not have to send you and your family into a panic.  It is important to educate your child, use preventative products, and have the products that get rid of them for good.

A 1-800 Hot Line to answer questions and brochures to educate parents are available with all of these products at A Hair for Kids Salon.

-Source: Kathleen Curiale, A Hair for Kids Salon, LLC

Presents Intimacy After Kids

Re-igniting the Spark

A Guide for New (and not-so-new) Parents

You already know that children change your life, and that includes your relationship with your partner.  It's hard to find time and energy to romance each other, and privacy goes out the window!

Here are some tips to help you stay connected and close as you navigate through parenthood.

  fTake 5 minutes to sit together, every day.  You don't have to do anything, but sit, maybe hold hands or lean against each other and breathe together.

  fWrite a quick note saying something sweet, or buy one of the little "I love you" note sets, and slip it into your sweetheart's lunch, briefcase, or shoe.

  fFind a babysitter and make a date with your partner.  Go out to eat, go to a movie, or make out for a while.  Let yourselves be playful and silly if you like.  Don't talk about the chores or the bills; keep it fun and light.

  fGo shopping together at A Woman's Touch, where you'll find gifts and accessories to inspire romance, light a fire between you, and help you feel sexy and loved.  Buy the book Sexy Mamas for many more ideas, or get some lingerie for both of you to help your bodies get in the mood for closeness.

Once kids come along, we all need to make conscious efforts to keep our intimate connections alive.  The more complex your life, the more you'll need to work at it.  But the resulting love and intimacy are so worth it.

-Source:  Ellen Barnard, M.S.S.W.

A Woman's Touch Sexuality Resource Center is a woman-owned and operated boutique dedicated to sexual health information and sensual pleasures.  We offer a comfortable, tasteful environment to learn, explore and celebrate your intimate moments.

We bring families back to the dinner table with healthy, delicious dinners!

-Source:  www.dinnerbydesignkitchen.com

Online Safety for Kids and Families

Thank you for visiting the Kids & Family Web Link™.  Because so much is done through the Internet these days for personal, business, family, and educational use, we want to assist your research to create a safe online experience for your family.

Many listed sites (Kids Link™) and tools are for small children.  (Finding sites for teens usually requires more of their input!)  However, online safety is helpful for all ages and can be especially important for those emotional and vulnerable teenagers.  As a parent or caregiver, only you can judge what is a positive or educational experience for your child. We hope to inspire you to take an active role in when, where, and what your child does on the Internet (and in life).  

As in the real world, you child shouldn't go anywhere unsupervised until he or she is ready.  Children shouldn't talk to strangers, and you'd want to know how and with whom they're spending their free time.  Yahoo! has provided us with helpful information.

You should do the following before your child goes online:

• Learn about the Web.  Take a course or ask a knowledgeable friend or relative.  Become familiar with how to sign on to web sites, search for information, and use communication tools (e-mail and instant messages).  

• Designate a location for your child's computer area.  Put your child's computer in the most public area of your home to monitor activity.  Establish rules for when and where your child may be online with laptops and cell phones that access the Internet.  

• Familiarize yourself with parental control software or features with your service.  Some may allow filtering or access only to specific sites, but this is not a substitute for true parental supervision.  (View the Help Link™ for FREE software.)

• Create a Family Pledge for Online Safety.  This pledge will help your family outline and adhere to what your child is or isn't allowed to do online.  Involve your child in its creation, get input, and include your entire family in its monitoring and providing online support for your small children.

The following tips are for when your child is online:

• Create a user ID.  To use many web sites, you must first register.  Create an ID that's suitable, not too revealing with personal information, and fun.

• Keep passwords private.  Teach your child how to create, remember, and safeguard a password.  Understand and warn about "phishing" scams and the importance of never sharing passwords with anyone.

• Protect personal information.  Teach your child to safeguard identity by not posting personal information (last name, address, phone numbers, school name, date of birth, etc., and especially photos, which can be used to identify a child or teen in real life.

• Beware of strangers.  Your child should use caution when chatting online, playing games, or posting messages.  As in real life, invitations, messages, and responses by someone unknown should be rejected and, if causing discomfort, reported.

• Beware of requests for in-person meetings.  Your child should never arrange a face-to-face meeting without involving you.

• Be aware of cyberbullying.  Adults can be a risk to your child along with other kids.  Unkind messages or the posting of false information or unflattering photos is the online version of bullying that can happen in your kid's real life.  Keep communication open to help if this occurs.

Spend time with your child looking at sites to learn about their interests, concerns, and thinking process and to set an example and explain what is and isn't appropriate behavior online.  Make it a Family Fun time to help your child feel comfortable sharing good and bad experiences with you.  (For your and other kids' safety, please report abuse to the service your child was using if something inappropriate occurs.)

Please visit our Help Link™ for FREE tools (really great ones) to download for kids' online safety and fun. 

Source:  www.yahoo.com

 

Children's Eyewear Specialists   presents Eye-Opening Information on Kids' Glasses

If kids' glasses don't fit right or if they don't like them or feel they don't have a choice in the selection of the frames, then they won't wear them.  

Fit and size are very important for kids' glasses. 

Proper fit (bridge, eye size, temple size, etc.) from a good selection is critical.  If they don't fit correctly, several things happen:

• They slide down their face, so the child is not looking out of the center of the glasses and getting the full advantage of their prescription.

• The glasses can pinch, causing skin irritation and red marks.

• Some kids may have allergies to certain frame materials.  A large selection is important.

Kids need protection from UV light.

Harmful effects of UV start early and last forever.  Use sunglasses for your kids with UVA and UVB protection.  Inexpensive sunglasses are okay as long as they offer UV protection and have impact resistant lenses.  For kids who wear prescription glasses, think about getting Transitions--the lenses

Kids need proper protection for sports activities, especially football, basketball, soccer, wrestling, and swimming.

Many sports frames are available for kids for all types of sports.  For safety in contact sports, don't get frames with adjustable nose pads.  Kids need protective sports gear and shoes.  If they wear glasses, they should have protective sports frames that fit correctly and are unbreakable.  Do not take off your kids' prescription school glasses and send them out on the playing field!

Make sure the place you buy your children's glasses has an experienced optician who knows how to fit children and find a frame that fits correctly.

They should have a good selection from which to choose, so you can find the right size with the right options.  With all the new lens technologies, make sure your facility has access to several lens choices for kids.  Find a provider who understands the effects of ethnicity, eye and temple size, lens profile, bridge, hinges, and activity involvement on children's glasses. 

You want your children to feel good about their glasses.  An expert provider understands how to help you achieve this goal, so your children feel comfortable and confident in their new specs!

Source:  Cindy Tomasik Seeman, Kids' Optique 414.425.8884

Cord Blood Preservation

We encourage our expecting parents to visit www.viacord.com and learn about umbilical cord blood preservation.

What is cord blood banking?

In it's simplest terms, cord blood banking is the collection and storage of the stem cells found in your newborn's umbilical cord.  Today, cord blood stem cells have been used successfully in the treatment of over 70 life-threatening diseases, curing red and white blood cell diseases, treating cancers, and repairing tissue.

What is cord blood?

Cord blood, or umbilical cord blood, is the blood remaining in your child's umbilical cord following birth.  It is a rich, non-controversial source of stem cells* that can only be collected at the time of birth.

What are stem cells?

Stem cells are the building blocks of our blood and immune systems.  They are found throughout the body including in bone marrow, cord blood, and peripheral blood.  They are particularly powerful because they have the ability to treat, replace, or repair damaged cells throughout the body.  

How are stem cells used in medicine?

Stem cells are used therapeutically in transplants to help cure, treat, and repair damaged blood and immune systems.  This is especially valuable when the systems have been damaged by radiation or chemotherapy.

What types of diseases use stem cell transplantation as part of treatment therapy?

Currently cord blood stem cells are used in the treatment of over 70 life-threatening diseases, including a wide range of cancers, genetic diseases, bone marrow failure syndromes, immune system deficiencies, metabolic disorders, blood disorders, and other disorders.

How might stem cells be even more useful in the future?

Researchers are now looking to cord blood for answers to heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.  For example, research shows that in certain cases, stem cells can stimulate healthy new growth in the heart, kidney, and other organs that may be affected by disease or damage.  Additionally, ViaCord is specifically researching using cord blood to treat heart disease and more cancers, as well as new ways to expand the volume of collected stem cells so that they may be used multiple times or for multiple people.

Why do families choose to collect and store their baby's cord blood?

For most families, banking their baby's cord blood offers peace of mind knowing their family's stem cells are readily available.  Should the need ever arise, your baby will have a source that is an exact match with no risk of rejection.  Still others choose banking because they are excited about the potential that cord blood stem cells may someday be used to treat diabetes, heart disease, and stroke in the future.  Naturally, there are those who bank because of family history or because there is an existing medical need for a cord blood transplant or there is a strong possibility that his or her siblings will be a match.  This is important because clinical studies demonstrate that transplants using cord blood from a family member are twice as successful when the stem cells come from a family member rather than from a non-relative (i.e., a public source).

How is cord blood collected?

The collection process is easy and painless and does not interfere with the delivery or subsequent care for your newborn.  After your baby is born, but before the placenta is delivered, your obstetrician or midwife cleans a four- to eight-inch area of umbilical cord with antiseptic solution and inserts the blood bag needle in the umbilical vein.  The blood flows into the bag by gravity until it stops, after which the collection is complete.  The blood bag is clamped, sealed, and labeled.  The collection typically takes two to four minutes.  Three tubes of maternal blood are also drawn for testing.

When is the cord blood collected?

There is only one time that cord blood can be collected--at birth.

Is there any risk to my child?

There is no risk to mother or child during the cord blood collection process.  The baby does not remain in the birthing area during the procedure, which is painless and noninvasive.

*Cord blood stem cells are non-controversial and not in any way the stem cells at the source of popular political and ethical debates.

Source:  www.viacord.com

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