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  • Battling Kawasaki disease: Ava's story

    Ava is a bubbly, outgoing 5-year-old. She loves princesses and playing dress-up, and she makes a new friend everywhere she goes. The highlight of her day in her Pre-kindergarten class? Getting chosen to be the line leader.

  • The benefits of finding a good support group

    As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at The Hewell Kids’ Kidney Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital, I have many teenage patients express to me that they feel lonely, isolated, and different. They feel that that no one understands what they are going through, and sometimes, they don’t even know what they are going through, or what to expect in the future. They express feelings of grief from losing some of the freedom they once enjoyed and the carefree attitude they once had. Many of these young patients show symptoms of depression and anxiety, too.

  • Healthy skin habits: Dr. Davis explains why it's important to teach kids at an early age

    With our recent cold snap finally over, summer and warmer temperatures are just around the corner. As we spend more time outdoors in short sleeves and shorts, we need to remember how important it is to protect our skin! Although everyone loves “a tan” for the summer, this is actually a sign of skin damage. Protecting our skin by using sunscreen and other forms of sun block is the first (and most important step) in keeping our skin healthy and preventing the most deadly form of skin cancer, melanoma. Did you know that most of our sun exposure and skin damage from the sun happens before the age of 18? Developing healthy skin habits as children and maintaining these habits through adulthood is essential to keeping our skin healthy over our lifetime!

    How does the sun damage our skin?

    The sun produces invisible ultraviolet (UV) rays as part of the light it radiates to earth. These are the rays that are damaging to our skin and eyes. There are three different kinds of UV rays:  UVA, UVB, and UVC rays. UVA rays are responsible for skin aging, wrinkling and causing melanoma. These rays make up the majority of our daily sun exposure. UVB rays are responsible for causing sunburns and cataracts of the eyes. They also contribute to melanoma as this form of skin cancer is most common in adults who had several severe sunburns as children. What is concerning about melanoma is that we are seeing it in an increasing number of young adults and even teenagers. Both UVA and UVB rays pass easily through the earth’s protective ozone layer. UVC rays on the other hand are thought to be the most dangerous types of UV rays but are blocked by the ozone layer and never reach the earth’s surface.

    What about melanin in our skin?

    Melanin is a chemical in the skin that absorbs UV rays and causes our skin to tan. Everyone has a different level of melanin in their skin. Fair-skinned people have less melanin while darker complexions have higher concentrations of melanin. A common misconception is that darker skinned people do not “burn” or get skin cancer. Regardless of the concentration of melanin in the skin, anyone can get a sunburn or develop melanoma. Any amount of tan is damage to the skin whether you are fair skinned or not.

    So how do we protect our skin from the sun?

    Kids can get a sunburn just from playing in the backyard on a sunny day- not just during a day at the beach!  First and most importantly, all children (and adults) 6 months and older should always wear an SPF 30 before going outside for any length of time. SPF stands for sun protection factor and the number indicates the amount of time you can spend in the sun before getting a sunburn. For example, if you start to burn in 10 minutes without sunscreen, applying SPF 30 will allow you to stay in the sun 30x longer before starting to burn (ie-300 minutes). Other ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide offer the greatest protection against the entire spectrum of UV rays. Sunscreen should be applied 15 minutes before going outside to allow for adequate absorption into the skin. For most kids, two ounces (a shot glass full) of lotion should be enough to cover the entire body. Spray-type sunscreen should still be rubbed in after applied to the skin to ensure there are no missed spots.  Don’t forget to apply to commonly neglected areas such as the scalp, lips, ears, back of neck, and tops of feet! Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours while outside, especially if swimming or sweating.  Remember, there is no such thing as waterproof sunscreen! This means you may go through nearly an entire bottle of sunscreen during a full day at the beach. Children under 6 months of age have more delicate skin and underdeveloped levels of melanin. They should not have sunscreen applied to their skin at all. Keeping young babies out of the sun altogether is best. However, if this is not possible keep them completely covered up with clothing and under a covered stroller or tent while out in the sun.

  • Hearing the “A” word: autism

  • Is genetic testing right for my child?

    Angelina Jolie shared publicly last month her decision to have a preventive double mastectomy after genetic testing revealed that, due to a mutation in the BRCA1 gene, she carried an 87% risk of developing breast cancer and a 50% risk of developing ovarian cancer. Jolie identifies her mother’s decade-long struggle with ovarian cancer and death from that disease six years ago as one of the primary influences behind her decision.

  • Kids are consuming too much salt.

    When my colleagues and I decide to meet for lunch, the first thing we request is the nutrition facts for the restaurant we visit. More times than not, I am disappointed when I can’t find an entrée that had less than 1,500mg of sodium, even on the children’s menu. I usually settle for the lowest sodium option that I can put together. However, while looking around the restaurant, I can’t help but notice that some patrons still add salt to their meal, despite the higher-sodium choices.

  • Little magnets pose a huge health risk for kids

    Grownups are entitled to their toys too, right? Maybe, but what happens when a toy that is meant for adults becomes a real danger for children?

  • Summertime snack ideas for kids

    Summer is here, which means more time spent at home (and in the kitchen), while kids are on summer break. Not only are parents’ concerned with finding ways to entertain their kids, but also with what to feed them.  And it always seems as if kids are hungrier in the summertime, as they have the freedom to “graze” all day long.

    What, when, and how much

    Snacking can be, and should be, a healthy part of any kid’s diet. But, it’s not just about what you feed your kids, it about when and how much. According to Kids Eat Right, an initiative of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that focuses on kids’ nutrition, there are several scenarios in which snacking can actually be harmful to a child’s diet: Unplanned, random snacking can lead to weight gain. This is one of the major contributing factors to the issue of childhood obesity, as kids have more access to food at all hours of the day. When kids have the freedom to snack all day, and at any time of the day, the natural instinct that lets them know when they are hungry, or full, is disrupted.However, snacks that are offered at the right time and in the right amount, can help kids achieve a healthy weight, as their bodies are continually growing and are in need of energy. Here are some guidelines for healthy snacking for kids: Most kids, and teens, need to eat every three to four hours in order to achieve a healthy, balanced diet throughout the day. For younger kids, this is equivalent to about three meals and two snacks a day. Older kids need to eat three meals and at least one snack a day. Older kids who are going through a growth spurt, or are very physically active, may need two snacks a day to make up for the additional output of energy. Consistency is key. A good rule of thumb is to offer a snack a few hours after one meal and one to two hours before the next. By doing this, kids are less likely to refuse food at mealtime, only to beg for snacks later, and will be ready for their next meal if snacking is limited beforehand. Remember, it’s not just when kids snack, but how much they are eating during snack time. This guide is a great tool for parents, as it shows healthy snack portions based on various food groups for kids.

    Snack ideas for kids

    One advantage of kids spending more time at home while on summer break is that they tend to eat healthier at home, given they are not surrounded by the endless options of junk food found in the vending machines at school. Here are some healthy snack ideas for the whole family: Ants on a log. Cut a piece of celery into segments, spread with peanut butter (or other nut butter of your choice), and top with raisins. Fruit and dip. Cut up your favorite fruit, or a variety of fruit, and serve with a small portion of Greek yogurt, mixed with cinnamon and a drop of vanilla extract. Keep in-season fruit on hand for a quick snack on the go! Summer fruits include: berries, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, grapefruit, watermelon, and peaches. For a full list of in-season produce, visit here. Veggies and dip. Cut up an array of veggies and serve with a “homemade” ranch dip. Combine a packet a dry ranch mix with Greek yogurt for more staying power, as Greek yogurt has almost 2x the amount of protein as regular yogurt. Craving chips? Think about dry-roasted edamame or soy nuts instead. You can still get the salty, crunchy goodness found in chips, with less fat and added fiber!Want more snack ideas for the whole family? Check out our Arnold Palmer Hospital “Fun Eats for Kids” Pinterest board.

  • Taking a closer look at eating disorders and disordered eating.

    This blog post was co-written by Corissa Schroeder, Registered Dietitian at Teen Xpress. 

  • The birthday gift that keeps on giving.

    I have a confession to make- giving money away is not something I’m good at. It certainly wasn’t something I was good at when I was a child! Oh how I anticipated that birthday card from Grandma – not because I loved Hallmark sentiments but mostly because I had already been dreaming about what I wanted to spend that check on!