Winter Newsletter 2014
The Advocare
Broomall Buzz
How to tell the difference between Building Strong Bones:
sinus infections and colds
Magnesium’s Role in Bone Health
When your child has a runny nose, cough and fever, it can be hard
For many years, the American Academy of Pediatrics has advised
to tell whether it’s just a common cold or a more severe illness like
parents to include milk, yogurt, cheese and dark green leafy veg-
a sinus infection. Here are some tips to help you handle your child’s
etables in children’s diets, as good sources of calcium and important
illness and know when your child should make an appointment.
for healthy bone development. Researchers are now studying the role
Know the odds. While colds are common, fewer than one in 15
children gets a bacterial sinus infection during or after a cold.
Note the symptoms. Children with a cold have a runny nose with
mucus that starts clear and then becomes cloudy or colored. Colds
may include a fever that lasts one to two days, but symptoms improve on their own in 10 days.
There are three types of sinusitis:
Persistent: Runny nose, daytime cough (can worsen at night) or
both last for 10 days and do not improve.
Severe: Fever over 102.2 degrees that lasts for three days in a row.
of magnesium, a less recognized but equally important mineral for
bone health.
The majority (50-60% of magnesium in the body is stored in the
bones. When dietary intake of magnesium is low, it leads to decreased magnesium stores in the bones. This causes less absorption
of calcium in the intestines resulting in loss of bone density.
Magnesium is also essential for protein building, muscle and nerve
function, blood sugar control and blood pressure regulation.
Although it is present in many plant and animal foods, the typical
American diet does not meet the allowance established by the USDA.
Mucus is thick and cloudy or colored.
Good sources of magnesium include:
Worsening: A cold starts to improve, but fever returns or daytime
•G
reen leafy vegetables (spinach, collard greens, green beans)
cough or runny nose gets worse.
• L egumes (navy, pinto, lima and kidney beans)
Often kids with colds and even mild sinus infections can be observed
and improve on their own. Encourage fluids, use cool mist humidifiers and offer saline nose drops to cleanse the airway. Consider the
drawbacks of antibiotics; side effects can include vomiting, diarrhea,
•N
uts and seeds (cashews, almonds, peanuts, pumpkin, sunflower
and sesame seeds)
•W
hole grains (brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat)
• S almon and halibut
upset stomach, skin rash, allergic
Parents’ role is key: bring healthy food into the house; model good
reactions and yeast infections.
eating and complement when your child tries new foods. Get your
And remember, you can always
call the office whenever you have a
question about your child’s illness.
AAP News Parent Plus July 2013
child busy in the kitchen helping to make meals and experiment with
recipes. Bon Appétit!
New Year’s Resolutions
Safety Net for Kids in Cyberspace
An App that can Help Parents and Patients Quit
Smoking Now
The Internet is an amazing tool that has expanded access to infor-
Pediatricians are committed to promoting healthy lungs in patients and
challenges for parents. iPhones, iPads, iPods mean that when talking
parents. Every day we see children who are exposed to second hand
about the Internet, we are now talking about everyone, everywhere,
smoke and third hand smoke (tobacco smoke residue on clothing) that
any time, according to Daniel Broughton M.D. of the AAP Committee
can irritate the airway and contribute to allergy symptoms, increased
on Communications. It’s up to parents to educate and supervise time
mucus production and inflammation of the nose, throat and lungs.
spent on the Internet and insure safe connections for their children.
Increased coughing, wheezing, ear infections, upper respiratory infections and asthma attacks can be directly related to smoke exposure.
mation and communication, constantly evolving and creating new
Parents need to make children aware that there is no such thing as
privacy on the Internet: being online is the same as being in pub-
Now there is a free app from the National Cancer Institute, NCI
lic. Shared personal information on a Website or chat room allows
QuitPal that can help parents and patients quit smoking. The
outside sources to market directly to children and allows Internet
App is available for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and uses evidence
predators dangerous access.
based smoking cessation techniques to help smokers set their ideal
quit date, financial goals and reminders. With features that allow
sharing progress with friends, graphs to provide data on packs not
smoked and money saved, and health milestone and craving tips to
stay motivated this App offers valuable support.
For more information about NCI QuitPal, visit
www.smokefree.gov/apps/nci-quitpal.
Cyber bullying using email and instant messaging has become
commonplace. The ease of sending messages and photos with a
thoughtless click of a button has become the source of anxiety and
depression in adolescents, often with serious medical and legal consequences. Children and adolescents should be taught to never send
any message that they would not say face to face.
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers the following advice:
To download the app from the iTunes store, go to
• L imit screen time, including Internet use to < 2 hours a day.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nci-quitpal/id561732676?mt=8
•C
onsider filtering devices to control computer visits.
•K
eep identity private; don’t share personal information.
Accidental Poisoning in Children
on the Rise
•N
ever get together with someone you “meet” online.
Increased Adult prescription drug use a factor
in cyberspace. For details, visit http://safetynet.aap.org.
The AAP offers SafetyNet, a compilation of resources talking to kids
about surfing the web navigating social media and keeping kids safe
Every week our office receives phone calls about accidental overdose
and ingestions of medications by toddlers, children and adolescents.
Latest numbers from the National Poison Data System note that
prescriptions written for adults are on the rise and consequently accidental poisoning from these medications is also on the rise. Particularly dangerous are blood pressure medications, oral hypoglycemics
to control blood sugar, and codeine containing pain medications.
According to a recent study on adult prescription drug use and pediatric
medication exposure and poisonings, the greatest risk was among children 0 to 5 years old, followed by 13- to 19-year-olds. Emergency room
visits were highest for hypoglycemics and blood pressure medications.
Safe storage of medication in the original labeled bottles is critical. Recognize that toddlers are at risk as early as 9 months of age
when they are able to use a thumb and forefinger grasp to put small
objects in their mouth. Good communication about medication
delivery is key to avoiding double doses given to small children. This
may sound absurd but warrants a mention: store your pet’s medications away from the people medication in a safe place with protected
access. Extend this information to friends and relatives when visiting
their homes as child proofing is a constant challenge.
West Chester Office
1246 West Chester Pike, Suite 303
West Chester, PA 19382
Tel: 610-692-2605 • Fax: 610-692-7310
Broomall Office
1991 Sproul Rd., Suite 600
Lawrence Park Center
Broomall, PA 19008
Tel: 610-325-1400 • Fax: 610-325-1324
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