Childwise: A column for parents of children from birth to 21

By Kathleen Ganster

Every toddler needs to explore and declare his independence, but it can cause some nervous moments for parents.

Sharna Olfman, Ph.D., professor at Point Park University, clinician, and book editor of the Childhood In America Book series (Praeger Press) gave Childwise some useful advice for parents of toddlers.

The key, she said, it to understand the developmental stage of your child.

“Toddlers are discovering selfhood. They are learning that they have their own thoughts and that these thoughts could be different from their parents,” she said.

Allowing them to explore this selfhood and their new found autonomy while being safe is the challenge.

“If you allow them to exercise age-appropriate autonomy, it can make it less tempting for them to do it in a frustrating manner,” said Olfman.
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Childwise: A column for parents of children from birth to 21

By Kathleen Ganster

Every parent of teens has to pause for at least a moment when their children go to the prom and/or graduation night with its ensuing parties.

In light of the recent Steubenville rapes, it will cause even more concern this year when our young men and women head out the door in their finery and graduations gowns.

For suggestions and tips on keeping your teen children safe, I talked with Deborah Gilboa, MD and known as “Doctor G.” A family physician, international speaker, author and mother of four, Doctor G is also the host of WQED TV “iQ: martparent!” .

“Talk to your child. Ask him or her what their concerns are,” she said, “Use your children to educate you, then take your cues from them.”

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Childwise is a medical advice column for parents of children ages birth to 21. 

By Kathleen Ganster

It seems every time we turn on the news, there is a fire to report, sadly often with fatalities. Keeping your children safe from fire – and preventing a fire – is important to every parent.

To provide some helpful fire safety tips I talked with Chris Vitale, Manger of Injury Prevention, at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.

Taking some simple measures goes a long way in fire prevention and safety, according to Vitale.

“It is important to realize that children are curious about fire. It is better to explain it to them about how dangerous it is and to prevent any opportunity they have to accidentally cause a fire,” she explained.

Vitale said that for children under 5, the most common burns are scalds.

“We tell parents don’t bath your children in the sink. They can reach over and turn on the hot water before you know it,” she said. And parents of infants should never carry something hot while carrying the child.

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Childwise is a medical advice column for parents of children ages birth to 21. 

By Kathleen Ganster

It is winter in Western Pa. which usually means snow and what child doesn’t want to sled ride? Others will want to head to the slopes with their parents for skiing and snow boarding.

As fun as those outdoor, winter sports are, it is imperative to take safety measures because those same sports can also be very dangerous.

Dr. S. Joshua Szabo is an orthopedic surgeon with Tri Rivers Surgical Associates and a physician for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association and gave us some advice for keeping children safe this winter.

The first thing to keep in mind with children is to remember, no matter what their skill set, they are still children, said Dr. Szabo.

“They don’t have the attention span and focus of adults. And when they are done, they are done,” he said.

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Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC is offering winter and spring classes for children and adults at several locations throughout the greater Pittsburgh area through the Community Education Program. Registration for classes is required and scholarships are available. For more information or to register, please visit classes.upmc.com or call 412-692-7105.

Alone at Home – $10 per family

Children ages 10 and up with their parent(s). Discuss physical and emotional readiness, appropriate behaviors and creation of a family safety plan for children home alone.

• UPMC East, Monroeville, Tuesday, March 5, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Pine Center, Wexford, Wednesday, March 6, 7-8:30 p.m.
• UPMC South, Bethel Park, Wednesday, March 13, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Pine Center, Wexford, Wednesday, May 1, 7-8:30 p.m.
• UPMC East, Monroeville, Wednesday, May 8, 7-8:30 p.m.
• UPMC South, Bethel Park, Wednesday, May 15, 7-8:30 p.m.
• UPMC South, Bethel Park, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Pine Center, Wexford, Thursday, Aug. 8, 7-8:30 p.m.
• UPMC East, Monroeville, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 7-8:30 p.m.

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By Kathleen Ganster

It’s Christmas Eve and you are visiting your in-laws, then off to church, and finally back home to get the kids in bed before “Santa” visits.

Next morning, you rush the kids through gifts to go to the open house at your sister’s house, an early dinner at your mom’s, then over to your brother-in-law’s place for dessert. When you finally get home Christmas night, the kids are tired and cranky, you are exhausted and Christmas is but a rushed memory.

Sound familiar?

The holidays weren’t meant to be a time of frenzy, but of joy. So how do we turn it back into a happy event?

“Last year, we decided it wasn’t fair to make the kids leave the house after Santa had just come, so we opted for an open house that day,” said Cara Colazzi Rolinson. Rolinson and her husband, Chris, have two sons, Maxwell, 6, and Andrew, 4.

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By Carol Utay

“Dear Drs. Utay: Winter is here and with it, winter weather –   the beautiful along with the not-so-welcome. Living in the   Pittsburgh area we might not always welcome snow fall, but   we do expect it. However, we did not expect our child’s   grades to fall. We’re new to this and don’t want to make a   bigger deal out of it than needed. On the other hand, we don’t   want flurries to develop into an ice storm.”

We love to hear from proactive parents! You are smart not to   just “wait and see” and there is much you can do to help.   There are three levels of action you can take depending on your   child’s needs: basic home interventions, basic tutoring, or a   professional program aimed at developing whatever underlying   foundation problems need work. Home interventions are what   you can do at home with minimal (if any) help from outside   experts. This includes helping your child get enough 1) sleep,   2) nutrition, 3) exercise, 4) organized, and 5) your support with   homework and projects. If these are already in place with no   improvement in grades, it’s time to consider the next level,   working with a tutor.

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Childwise is a medical advice column for parents of children ages birth to 21. 

By Kathleen Ganster

You are here, but your grandchildren are located in another city, or worse, another state maybe even another country.

So how do you keep in touch? How can you be an active part of your grandchildren’s lives when they live far away?

Sandy Rihs of Sewickley has a 4-year-old grandson who lives in New Jersey and two granddaughters, 4 and 8 years of age in Virginia. Despite the distance, it is important for her to be part of their lives and them, part of hers.

“It is really for me, to be honest, I need to feel close to them,” she said.

She remains “close” through a number of methods – some of them “old school” and some using newer methods such as Social Media and Skype.

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Family Hospice and Palliative Care recently held its annual Camp Healing Hearts for grieving children at The Center for Compassionate Care in Mt. Lebanon. The annual free day camp is open to any child in the community coping with loss. A variety of activities throughout the day – including pet therapy – are designed to help children deal with their grief. Fourteen children attended Camp Healing Hearts, along with parents/guardians. For more information, please call 412-572-8800 or visit www.FamilyHospice.com.

Childwise is a medical advice column for parents of children ages birth to 21. 

By Kathleen Ganster

It sounds cliché, but what happened with Andy Winzen is something no parent wants to see happen to her child.

At only 18-months old, soon after Andy ate some peanut butter, his lips and eyes began to swell and his face covered in hives. When he began to vomit, his mother, Addie, called 911 and he was rushed to Children’s Hospital.

Fortunately, Andy survived his first allergic reaction to peanuts (he is also allergic to all tree nuts), but according to Winzen she and her husband, Uwe, must be ever-vigilant about exposure for Andy.

“There is no cure for food allergies, so the dangers that exist for our son is that he may be accidentally exposed to one his allergens,” she said.

So how do you know if your child has allergies?

According to Todd Green, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and allergist/immunologist and director of UPMC fellowship in allergy/immunology, there are numerous types of adverse reactions to foods, but it also important to know that there can different adverse reactions to food.

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Monongahela Valley Hospital’s (MVH) Center for Children’s Rehabilitation (CCR) Services recently celebrated five years of helping children in the Mon Valley.

During that time, the MVH CCR has treated hundreds of children from birth to age 21 for conditions such as apraxia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, developmental delays, Down syndrome, fine and gross motor skill delays, neuromuscular and neurological conditions, orthopedic disorders, pervasive developmental disabilities, sensory integration disorders, speech/language delays and disorders as well as swallowing disorders.

The MVH CCR has active patients from Washington, Fayette, Westmoreland and Allegheny counties, among others. Services include speech, occupational therapy and physical therapy. Patients must have a prescription from a physician to receive service and most insurances are accepted.

MVH CCR is committed to the medical, educational, and emotional needs of children/adolescents and their families and provides innovative and comprehensive programming to help each child obtain the best life possible.

The center is located at 1029 Country Club Road, Suite 202, Monongahela, PA 15063.  To schedule a day or evening appointment or for additional information call 724-258-2971.

MVH CCR celebrates five years. Pictured from left to right Michelle Fell, OTR; Declan Blair; and Nancy McAuley, SLP and Rehab Supervisor.

By Kathleen Ganster

School has been underway for a couple of weeks now, but what if your child is still anxious about going to school and her new routine?

“By this point, your child should be definitely settled in and if they aren’t, you should talk to the teacher,” said Marilyn Adams, a teacher with 25 years’ experience in the classroom.

Adams, a teacher at Poff Elementary School in Hampton Township School District, has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Penn State University and a master’s degree in elementary education with reading certification from Slippery Rock University.  She is also the mother of two children, Melissa, a sophomore at Penn State, and Ed, a senior at Hampton High School.

It is normal for a child to be a bit anxious before classes start, said Adams.

“There are new teachers, new friends, a new setting, a new routine,” she explained, “But that should only last a week, two at the most.”

If your child seems to be suffering from school-related anxiety, it is better to deal with it right away. First, discuss the issue with your child’s teacher and the school counselor.

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By P., Piero DDS

Obesity and periodontal disease often appear to be tethered to one another. In children, that link requires parents and health care providers to monitor each variable in an effort to maintain the overall health of those they care for.

One explanation is the change in eating and drinking habits of children. More sugared sodas, power drinks and fruit juice substitutes make up our young adults beverages of choice. Ironically milk and “healthy”- 100% juices given to children in bottles and sippy cups also contributes to the problem. The array of snack food available is overwhelming. The low fat variety, although at first glance may appear healthy, actually contains more sugar than the high fat variety. A lot less vitamin C and calcium are ingested per calories by children today. All of these factors add to the total number of empty calories consumed by children.

This change in diet along with less physical activity adds weight to children, particularly those predisposed to obesity. The average number of hours in front of a television set or computer grows each year.

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