Advice to Parents during the Quarantine Days

Children and teens react, in part, on what they see from the adults around them. When parents and caregivers deal with the COVID-19 calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children. Parents can be more reassuring to others around them, especially children, if they are better prepared.
Watch for behavior changes in your child
Not all children and teens respond to stress in the same way. Some common changes to watch for include
 Excessive crying or irritation in younger children
 Returning to behaviors they have outgrown (for example, toileting accidents or bedwetting)
 Excessive worry or sadness
 Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits
 Irritability and “acting out” behaviors in teens
 Poor school performance or avoiding school
 Difficulty with attention and concentration
 Avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past
 Unexplained headaches or body pain
 Use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs
 Ways to support your child
Talk with your child or teen about the COVID-19 outbreak.
 Answer questions and share facts about COVID-19 in a way that your child or teen can understand.
 Reassure your child or teen that they are safe. Let them know it is ok if they feel upset. Share with them how you deal with your own stress so that they can learn how to cope from you.
 Limit your family’s exposure to news coverage of the event, including social media. Children may misinterpret what they hear and can be frightened about something they do not understand.
 Try to keep up with regular routines. If schools are closed, create a schedule for learning activities and relaxing or fun activities.
 Be a role model. Take breaks, get plenty of sleep, exercise, and eat well. Connect with your friends and family members.

Source

Involving Kids in Food Preparation : Kitchen Tips

Here are seven tips to help you get the food on the table with minimal fuss and maximum enjoyment:

1. Assign age-appropriate tasks: You aren’t going to give your toddler the cleaver. But there are jobs in kitchen that are suited for certain age groups. Kids under 5 years old can wash produce, count, measure, and even hand mix. Older kids (8 and up) can read recipes, stir food, grate, and even chop with some extra protection and supervision. If you’re looking for a more comprehensive list of tasks, separated by age, this is a great resource.
   Set up for safety and mess-minimization: Make sure everybody has their workstation set up for the tasks they can safely perform. Place the younger kids away from the heat and sharp objects. Provide aprons and have kids work over sheet pans for easy cleanup.
   Prepare some ingredients beforehand: It’s not cheating to have some ingredients ready to go into the pan—especially if they’re difficult to prepare or can make a mess. One good example: have raw chicken diced and ready to go in the pan if you’re making a stir fry.
   Serve up guidance and compliments: You don’t have to be a chef to teach cooking basics to kids. Guide kids through the tasks until they’ve mastered them. And make sure they know when they’ve done a good job. Compliments count.
   2.Don’t rush: Parenting is an exercise in patience. Cooking as a family is no different. Schedule extra time to prepare and cook the meals you make with your kids. And it’s a cliché, but the experience is actually more important than the end product.
   Eliminate distractions: To get all the benefits of cooking with kids, turn off the TV and have everybody put down their phones. This will foster more conversation and enhance the quality time you spend as a family.
   3.Have fun: You don’t need to have a food fight to enjoy your time in the kitchen. Mostly it’s about managing your expectations, leaving time to learn, laugh, and love what you’re doing. The fun you have making dinner will translate into the finished product.
   Cooking as a family doesn’t have to be daunting. Preparing properly are the keys to a successful and (relatively) stress-free experience. And remember, when you’re cooking with kids you’re not just making a meal—you’re developing skills, confidence, and habits for a lifetime.

From : Ask the Scientist

The Parent and Child Linkage

Understanding your child is one of the most important things that you should learn as a parent. It is very helpful in becoming effective in guiding and nurturing your child as they grow and mature. You need to bear in mind that your child has a unique personality trait that remains consistent throughout life.

One of the ways you can understand your child is by observing them as they sleep, eat, or play. Look for the consistent traits. Which activities do they like best? Is adjusting to changes easy for them or do they need time to become familiar with these things? These things are the normal characteristics of a child and your child may not be an exception.

As much as possible, have time to talk to your children as this is crucial to gaining information and understanding. In the case of young children, they require less verbal language and more facial expression and body language in order to understand their thoughts and feelings. Asking them questions will allow them to share their feelings to you.

Self-esteem is a major key to success in life. The development of a positive self-concept or healthy self-esteem is extremely important to the happiness and success of children and teenagers. A positive parent-child relationship provides the framework and support for a child to develop a healthy respect and regard for self and for others. Children crave time with parents. It makes them feel special. Parents are encouraged to find time to spend playing with their kids on a regular basis. This should include one to one with each child and group time with all of the adults and kids in the home. If you are a single parent or have an only child, occasionally invite family or friends over to play.

For one reason or another, some children do not develop social skills as easily as others. They may earnestly seek peer relationships and then, having endured rebuffs, if not downright cruelty, retreat to the safety of home, family, and their own company. There is probably nothing so painful for a parent as the rejection of his child. Parents need to take the long view of social problems and to map out a plan to solve them quite as carefully and thoughtfully as they would consider academic or health problems. There are guidelines which, if followed, will help these children if the parent is willing to take time and initiative.

Most parents will encounter a few bumps in the road as their child moves from baby to teen to adult. Be resourceful in giving advises.

Reference

Maternity Dressing : Clever Ways to Hide a Baby Bump

DRESSING FOR TWO
If your tummy’s popping before you’re ready to share the baby news, use these styling tips from Women’s Health senior fashion editor Thea Palad to keep your pregnancy secret a little longer. Bonus: They’ll be just as cute on you post-pregnancy as they are now.

MIRROR YOUR BUMP
Rock This Trend: Mirrored prints
Reflecting a print along your vertical axis is instantly slimming and can help hide any weight gain

COLOR BLOCK YOUR BUMP
Rock This Trend: Color blocks

“Make sure the darker colors are strategically placed over your tummy and any other parts you want to shrink visually,” says Palad. Disappearing panels and ombre designs also have the same effect, so the darker portion will help mask your middle.

BELT YOUR BUMP
Rock This Trend: Belts

Wear a wide belt high and tight around your natural waist if you’re still able. When you accentuate the smallest part of your midsection it draws attention from your growing belly.

Blouse Your Bump
BLOUSE YOUR BUMP
Rock This Trend: Peasant blouses

They’re meant to have a billowy fit, so it’s a good way to hide a belly.

MINIMIZE YOUR BUMP
Rock This Trend: Mod-style mini dresses

“This style is cut to skim the body and flares out into a slight trapeze shape, so it hides a growing waistline—not that anyone will notice because the focus will be on your stems,” says Palad. “Be sure to wear great heels!”

Blaze Your Bump
BLAZE YOUR BUMP
Rock This Trend: Boyfriend blazers

Boxy overcoats are a big trend ,Swap out any fitted or cropped iterations with this more forgiving one.

Elongate Your Bump
ELONGATE YOUR BUMP
Rock This Trend: Maxi dresses with prints

“Maxi dresses with busy graphics—like a beautiful floral, a realistic photo print, or an ethnic tribal print—can elongate your form and disguise your growing tummy,” says Palad.

Don’t Do THIS to Your Bump
DON’T DO THIS TO YOUR BUMP
“Nothing will get tongues wagging about your possible pregnancy faster than an empire waistline,” says Palad. Save this cut for when you’re ready to proudly show off your baby belly.

 

SOURCE

Nine (9) things to get along well with your Partner

A healthy marriage relationship is one that is not always easy and one which there is no dispute between partners. The closest and longest married couples are committed to solving contentions in a mature way and grow together as a human being and as a lover. Here are some things that couple marriage experts advise most often to couple to strengthen their bond .

1. Praise your spouse in front of others
Couples who maintain healthy relationships talk positively about each other in front of friends, children, relatives, and colleagues. This is the opposite of what happens in bad relationships. ‘My husband is very good at helping me.’, ‘My wife is really good at cooking.’ It is a good way to maintain a close and intimate relationship with the same words spontaneously popping out.

2. It takes time to be together even when it is busy.
Good couples say they regularly take time out for each other in their daily lives. Spend time with your dog, take a walk together, talk after your child is asleep, watch your favorite TV shows, or pray together.

3. Often smile
Smile a lot with each other. One of them is acting to brighten the mood, so it’s hard to be upset for a long time. I need to talk about serious topics when I need them, but the sense of humor is tremendously helpful in maintaining a healthy relationship. People who laugh a lot and are generally not too serious can easily enjoy a healthier relationship.

4.Appreciate each other of the positive aspect rather than continuing to talk about the negative aspects of your partner.

You could have a couple of complaints about your marriage. But in most cases people have similar problems like other couples. Good couples see the good side of the opponent rather than the complaint, and express it immediately if there is something thankful for the opponent.

5. If there would be winners in arguments, let it be your partner.
Disagreements are normal in a relationship. Couples who always sympathize with each other and listen with each other tend to overcome common misunderstandings in all relationships. If you have these conflict management skills, you may feel that your partner is listening, understanding and appreciating when you say, “I do not agree with you, but I understand you and understand why you feel that way.”

6. Always tell your whereabouts
Don’t let your spouse neglected. If you tell your whereabouts through a short phone call or text, or and when you have an appointment with your friends, you can improve your marital status and help your partner feel at ease.
7.Don’t fail to be romantic
It’s a way for couples to enjoy each other’s love and excitement. If you do not tempt each other, the relationship becomes plain and boring. Good couples always try to attract each other.

8. Fight Clean During Arguments
Improve your discussion. Be careful not to blame, not to stigmatize, not to discourage. Insert a joke at a most difficult time. When the couple spoke to each other, be careful with hurting words. A good couple always loves and respects each other.

9. Forgive and surrender without grudging
You should not have any emotional distance from each other . Be responsible for your own mistakes, apologize and cross over. Even if you disagree about something just an hour ago, enjoy your life together.

Probiotics may boost learning, memory for Alzheimer’s patients

A research team from Iran are the first to show how a daily dose of probiotics for 3 months could be effective for improving memory and thinking abilities in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers found older adults with Alzheimer’s who drank probiotic-enriched milk showed improvements in cognitive functioning.
The researchers found that Alzheimer’s patients who consumed milk enriched with beneficial live bacteria every day for 12 weeks showed significant improvements in cognitive functioning.

Senior study author Prof. Mahmoud Salami, from Kashan University in Iran, and colleagues recently published their findings in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.

Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that are “helpful” to human health. These include bacterial groups such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, as well as yeasts, including Saccharomyces boulardii.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, probiotics can act in a number of ways. They can help create a favorable community of microbes in the gut, for example, and help stimulate immune response.

Research has shown that these friendly microorganisms – many of which are added to food products, topical medications, and dietary supplements – may help protect against numerous infections and diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), eczema, certain allergies, colds, and tooth decay.

Previous animal studies have also shown probiotics to improve learning and memory – an association that has been attributed to beneficial alterations in the gut microbiome that affect the brain. Whether probiotics have the same effect in humans, however, has been unclear.

Cognitive functioning scores improved with probiotics
For this latest study, Prof. Salami and team set out to determine the effects of probiotics on the cognitive functioning of 52 men and women aged 60-95 who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Participants were randomized to one of two groups. One group was required to drink 200 milliliters of normal milk every day for 12 weeks, while the other group drank 200 milliliters of milk containing four probiotic bacteria: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Bifidobacterium bifidum.

Fast facts about Alzheimer’s

• More than 5 million adults in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s
• Every 66 seconds, someone in the U.S. develops the disease
• Alzheimer’s kills more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.
• Before and after the 12-week study period, researchers collected blood samples from the participants, and the subjects’ cognitive functioning was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale.
• As part of this examination, subjects are required to complete a number of tasks that test learning and memory, such as naming objects, counting backward, and copying a picture.
• Compared with participants who consumed the untreated milk, those who received the probiotic-enriched milk demonstrated significant improvements in cognitive functioning, the team reports.
• Subjects who consumed the treated milk saw average MMSE scores increase from 8.7 to 10.6 (out of a possible 30) during the 12-week study period, while scores dropped from 8.5 to 8.0 for those who drank the untreated milk.

The researchers stress that all participants remained severely cognitively impaired, but their findings are the first to show that probiotics might lead to some cognitive improvements.

“In a previous study, we showed that probiotic treatment improves the impaired spatial learning and memory in diabetic rats,” notes Prof. Salami, “but this is the first time that probiotic supplementation has been shown to benefit cognition in cognitively impaired humans.”

Cognitive benefits of probiotics may be down to metabolic changes
On assessing the participants’ blood samples, the researchers found that subjects who consumed probiotics had lower triglycerides levels, lower levels of “bad” very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, and reduced high-sensitivity C-reactive protein – a marker of inflammation.

Additionally, participants who received probiotics showed a reduction in two measures of insulin resistance and the functioning of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas – HOMA-IR and HOMA-B.

The team says these findings indicate the cognitive benefits of probiotics may be down to the metabolic changes they provoke. “We plan to look at these mechanisms in greater detail in our next study,” notes Prof. Salami.

SOURCE

Beautiful Images of Breast feeding Women

Breastfeeding has been the subject of great controversy lately. I must say it came as a surprise to me. I mean, that’s what breasts are there for, right? I was so perplexed by this sneering and sometimes flat hate people have been directing at mothers who are feeding their babies as nature intended. Have we sexualized women’s breasts to such a degree that their original purpose is starting to look like a perversion? Thankfully, a group of moms have posed with their babies in full breastfeeding mode to show that just because breastfeeding has been a public taboo for so long doesn’t mean it should stay that way.

1. A Flower Child And Her Baby
A beautiful shot that says “I support life and I do it beautifully.” Those flowers are nothing like the ones you see at Coachella.

2. The Kiss Of True Love
A baby is a precious and helpless bundle of potential. There are few ways to help them achieve that potential like a mother’s nourishment.

3. These Three Are Never A Crowd
This photo is warm with love, even with the cold background. There is further controversy with older children breastfeeding, but this mom seems happy with the results.

4. Mommy Can Be Your Everything
There is no greater feeling for a mother than knowing she can be there to support her kids in whatever way they need. Moms love to feel like their kids can utilize them as a resource for everything. Here Mom is dinner and entertainment all at once!

5. Enjoying The Breeze
Those trusting eyes are fixated on Mama. As the two sit together, their bond grows. This is how great connections and strong family ties are fortified.

6. Majestic
Some day this child will be able to look at this picture and see the beauty in it.

7. Safe In Her Arms
There will never be a safer, happier place in the world for this little one.

8. A Snack So Quick The Floor Will Do
Sometimes you’re in a rush but hunger knocks. The top of that business formal outfit will have to open for business.

9. Lounging In The Window
That window seat was once for solitary reading and dreaming of a family. Now it’s the perfect perch for two.

10. Sharing The Love
Many mothers will tell you that breastfeeding is one of the most relaxing things a woman could do. It brings out a gentleness in even the most stone-faced woman.

11. Blossom
This little baby’s life is just budding while everything else is in full bloom. Mom can’t wait to watch her little flower grow and with all this wholesome eating, that’s going to happen sooner rather than later.

12. “I’ll Love You Forever, I’ll Like You For Always. As Long As I’m Living My Baby You’ll Be”
A mother’s love is eternal, and feeding is an important part of how she shows her love. There is so much love to be given and received between a mother and her baby through feeding time. Let’s try to change some hearts and minds so this natural act can lose its negative stigma

Source

 

 

 

Making Medical Devices Safer at Home

Patients and consumers are using medical devices more often at home—not just in health care facilities. Many medical devices are now portable, and this feature enables patients to live active lives outside of the confines of the hospital room or treatment center.
“(Home use) devices once were designed only to keep you alive. Now they’re designed to keep you as independent as possible,” according to Mary Brady, MSN, RN, a senior policy analyst at FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH).

However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has long been concerned that consumers may sometimes be literally left to their own devices—depending upon medical devices they might not know how to operate and for which they might not understand the safety risks.

There have been serious, and even fatal, problems reported to FDA associated with medical devices used at home. For example, a woman with kidney failure got cat hair in her dialysis tubing, resulting in peritonitis, a life-threatening abdominal infection. And a child died when his mother didn’t hear an alarm on his ventilator signaling that the tubing had become disconnected.

FDA is working on ways to help consumers safely operate and maintain home use devices, which include blood glucose monitors, infusion pumps (a device that delivers fluids, including nutrients and medications, into a patient’s body) and respirators. These efforts include issuing a draft guidance document for manufacturers on the design and testing of devices intended for home use, and the development of clearer instructions for use.

Understanding the Instructions

Using a medical device at home is not as simple as it might sound. Brady explains that the device might not come with the written instructions that inform a home user how to operate it safely and how to know if it’s not working properly. Even if the device comes with instructions, the language used in the instructions might be too technical.
“If you can’t understand the directions,” said Brady, “it’s hard to be independent.”

While more medical devices are being specifically designed for home use, some devices used at home weren’t originally designed for use by the average person. “Devices are often designed for the health care professional to use in a clinical setting such as a medical office or a hospital,” says Brady.

Also, home use devices designed to be used in medical facilities—not homes—might be adversely affected by things found in a home environment, such as pet hair, well water or temperature variations.

Other challenges include the user’s and the caregiver’s physical and emotional health. People taking medications that affect their alertness or memory might have trouble using or taking care of their devices. Similarly, the emotional impact of caring for a loved one might influence the caregiver’s ability to use complex, high-maintenance devices.

Tips for Consumers

• Know how your device works; keep instructions close by.
• Understand and properly respond to device alarms.
• Have a back-up plan and supplies in the event of an emergency.
• Keep emergency numbers available and update them as needed.
• Educate your family and caregivers about your device.
• Frequently ask your doctor and home health care team to review your condition and recommend any changes related to your equipment.

Source :fda.gov

 

 

Most Incredible Mothers

It’s Mother’s day again..Let’s salute some incredible ones recorded.

1.The Mom with Most Kids (69 kids)

Imagine living in a family of 71, your mom either must really like giving birth or the gift of life if you prefer or just hates being lonely. Valentina Vassilyeva, set the record for most children birthed by a single woman. This Russian woman gave birth to total of 69 children. However, few other details are known of her life, such as her date of birth or death. She gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, 7 sets of triplets and 4 sets of quadruplets between 1725 and 1765, in a total of 27 births.

2. Nadya Denise Doud-Suleman Gutierrez aka Octomom gave birth to 8 children from a single birth. She gave birth to octuplets in January 2009, drawing the media attention.

3. Cristianne Ray, from Seattle, is the world’s smallest mother. She is 2 ft 9 inches tall and she gave birth to a happy baby girl named Kyrsten. She weighed 4 lbs 8 oz and was 14 inches long after she was born; what is around half of her mother’s height. When she saw her daughter for the first time, she said: “She was tiny, but at the same time she was huge compared to me.” She tries to lead a happy and healthy life; she goes bowling trying to keep fit and takes care of her newborn baby. Her fiancée Jeremy Bowden is 6 ft 4 inches.

4. World’s First Male Mother: Thomas Beatie was born as a woman but after a sex change operation he/she decided to have a babie. The 34-year-old’s wife, Nancy, was unable to conceive because of a prior hysterectomy. Therefore Beatie decided to have a baby himself, through artificial insemination using donor sperm and Beatie’s own egg. It doesn’t seem to be a healthy solution in any respect.

5. Mom with the longest interval between kids: Elizabeth Ann Buttle gave birth to two kids, but what is special is the interval between their births. Belinda Buttle was born on May 19, 1956 when Elizabeth Ann Buttle was 19. Joseph Buttle was born on November 20, 1997 when Elizabeth Ann Buttle was 60, an interval of 41 years 185 days. Joseph’ sister was old enough to be his own grandmother.

Source: emirates247.com

Married To A Stranger

When ever I would come across the famous quote Marriages Are Made In Heaven And Celebrated on Earth, I would think to myself what does that even means until I got married to a stranger who now is my best friend.

Friends and followers keep asking me If I have adjusted to the change, how my married life is coming along. If coping with an arrange marriage is difficult and how long it took me to settle down. Well, Marriage is not about a perfect couple living together its when an imperfect couple enjoy their differences. Giving up and leaving is the easiest way out but fighting and standing strong is the key to a successful marriage.

It has not been long that I got married and I follow NO rules but I have highlighted a few tips.

Be Friends: After knowing you have to spend the rest of your life with your partner, Become friends first. Don’t push too hard and take it slow. Make jokes, gossip and understand each other and stay focused when spending time together.
Keep No Secrets: Don’t take anyone’s advice when told to keep things from your partner. After you have become friends and you’ve built understanding start with sharing small secrets. Enjoy having a soul mate and partner on your side.

Don’t Get Angry At The Same Time: There are agreements and disagreements in every relationship especially when you are living with someone so close. If you don’t like what your partner is suggesting or you disagree to the idea or you are in a fight, Keep your sanity. Stay calm and give each other some time. Once the situation is cooled down explain your point of view.
Give Space: Remember! before you started sharing his room he had a life of his own and you had yours. Give each other some room and space. Let him have some time while you can make him a meal that you can share together.

Never Spy Or Doubt: If you think something is fishy and unusual or If u hear a part of some conversation don’t go on a secret mission of spying on him or give room to doubts in your heart. Walk up to him and tell him how you feel and ask what ever is in your heart directly.
Watch A Show Together: Pick a show and watch it together with some snacks before going to bed. Make small comments in between to make it interesting.

Date Night: To keep the charm alive date your partner, Make plans ahead of time and send him a reminder message in the morning of the day you have plans for. Pick clothes for him and Let him chose for you. If you have a baby or kids take help from family or friends to watch them while you spend a couple of hours together.
Defend Your Partner: The best feeling is to have your partner on your side. Defend him even when he is wrong and don’t make him feel alone or left out. You can take him to a side and tell him about his mistakes.
Have Common Friends: I have read numerous blogs were its suggested to have different friends than your partners. But I believe in having common friends. Host Pot-lucks, Game Nights, Celebrate small occasions and have everyone over. Even when you make new friends besides your partner’s introduce their spouses to yours. This way you’ll have a bigger group of friends to have fun with.
Make Trips And Explore: Every alternate weekend pick a new place to try be it a restaurant/cafe or an activity hub. Start saving from the beginning of the year for a long trip to explore new cities or different countries. Read about their cultures and occasions before planning the trip.
Charm And Attraction: Superficial and materialistic things don’t matter in a strong relationship. Don’t try too hard to be what you’re not. Keep it original, He married you for what you are, If your partner cannot appreciate you or is not attracted to you. Forget it and Love yourself and Become your own Best friend. Self Confidence is the charm to your personality which makes it attractive.
Respect And Appreciate: No relationship can survive for long without respect or appreciation. Never make your partner feel unloved or treat him with disrespect. The best time to appreciate your partner is when with family or friends. Highlight his efforts for you. Show him off ! And thank him when alone.
Give respect all times, There is a thin line between disagreeing and being disrespectful. Art is to know which one not to cross.
Forgive, Forget And Grow: Every person stands a chance. Forgive and forget a couple of times but don’t be a fool to make it a habit. Tell him how it hurts you and affects your relationship and give each other a fair chance to grow.
SMILE: Take control and be head strong, Smile even when it hurts
I hope these pointers help you in some way. Your Feedback will be appreciated

Credit: Parkhakhan