Bedwetting can be upsetting for parents and children, with frustration mounting as you lose sleep night after night, wondering why your child frequently wets his bed and how you can help him stop.

In our August online Viewpoint column, Dr. Patrick S. O’Hollaren, M.D., director of Pediatric Urology at Legacy Emanuel Children’s Hospital, discusses the possible causes of bedwetting, recommended evaluations, and treatment options. More…

Category: Health and Wellness // Posted on August 2, 2010 // 1 Comment

We know you’ve heard this before, but new research confirms what earlier studies have told us – we need to seriously limit the amount of television our babies and preschoolers are watching.

A new study reported in the May issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that for each additional hour of television viewed per week at age 29 months, children were less engaged in school and had lower math scores in fourth grade. The more television children watched, More…

Category: Health and Wellness // Posted on May 19, 2010 // Leave a Comment

We recently reported on a study released by the Kaiser Family Foundation that found kids from 8 to 18 typically spend an average of 7.5 hours engaged with electronic media every day. Another large-scale study, released in February of this year, reveals a correlation between limiting weekday television viewing for preschoolers and a decreased risk of obesity. And these are just two of the numerous studies indicating that, when it comes to kids and TV, less is definitely more.

We’re not suggesting you rid your house of all electronic media, but wouldn’t it be interesting to unplug your family for a week and see what happens? If you’re game to give it a try, now’s the time. April 19 to 25 is national Turnoff Week (which includes all screen-related entertainment), a time when More…

Category: Events/Performances, Health and Wellness // Posted on April 14, 2010 // Leave a Comment

Yes, it’s still National Nutrition Month and we’re still hoping to encourage local families to explore new ways to improve their eating habits! Today we want to share some tips from the American Dietetic Association (ADA) about adding more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy to your family’s diet.

20 Ways to Enjoy More Fruits, Vegetables, Whole Grains and Dairy

To get the most nutrition out of your calories, choose foods packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients – and those that are lower in calories. Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains More…

Category: Health and Wellness, Nutrition // Posted on March 24, 2010 // Leave a Comment

In keeping with the timely theme of our March issue – protecting our children against childhood obesity – the American Dietetic Association (ADA) has declared March National Nutrition Month. What better time to share some of their simple, family-friendly tips with you?

Last week we reported on a new study that showed our children are getting far too many empty calories from snacks with little or no nutritional value. So what’s a parent to do? Below are 25 easy to prepare, kid-friendly snacks More…

Category: Health and Wellness, Nutrition // Posted on March 17, 2010 // Leave a Comment

In our March issue, Dr. Edward Guillery of the Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel offers ten simple tips for parents who want to protect their children against childhood obesity. In tip #7 he writes, “Limit or eliminate snacks. School-age children will not drop dead from starvation if they haven’t eaten in four hours! They may whine, and I know how hard that is, but snacking behavior is just that – learned behavior that can be modified.”

Dr. Guillery’s recommendations are more timely than even we had known, as a study published in the March issue of Health Affairs shows 27 percent of children’s daily calories come from snacks. These snacks, more often than not, More…

Category: Health and Wellness // Posted on March 8, 2010 // 1 Comment

Can’t find the time to get a mammogram? The Vancouver Clinic Breast Care Center at 700 NE 87th Avenue in Vancouver hears you, and they’ve scheduled Mamms ‘Til Midnight to help. The clinic will be open until midnight on Wednesday, March 10, to encourage busy women to finally schedule their recommended mammograms.

Need more incentive? They’ll be offering mini-massages, refreshments and a free entry in a raffle, too.

To schedule a mammogram at the clinic during Mamms ‘Til Midnight – or anytime – call 360-882-2778.

Category: Health and Wellness // Posted on February 24, 2010 // Leave a Comment

On February 16, the Oregon Senate rejected a bill intended to protect our children from exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) by banning the manufacturing, distributing or selling of reusable food and drink containers made with BPA if the containers were intended for use primarily by children less than 3 years old. That would have included baby bottles and sippy cups. The vote was 15 to 15.

“Despite warnings from leading medical organizations, NIH, and FDA regarding the detrimental health impacts of BPA, industry pressure has triumphed over protecting the health of Oregon’s children,” says Renee Hackenmiller-Paradis, More…

Category: Health and Wellness // Posted on February 22, 2010 // 1 Comment

This weekend we took our inspiration from the spotty patches of sunshine to break free of our winter routine (reading, baking, jigsaw puzzles, afternoon movies and such) and reacquaint ourselves with the great outdoors.

On Sunday we visited the Audubon Society for their Wildlife Care Center’s Open House. The event was so popular there was a two-hour wait to take a tour, but we met some of the amazing birds (owls, a turkey vulture and some kestrels) outside the center with their caretakers and took an easy, muddy hike around the nearby trails. My son was in heaven, More…

Category: Health and Wellness, Nature // Posted on February 16, 2010 // Leave a Comment

While researching childhood obesity for a story in Metro Parent’s March 2010 issue, a wise local pediatrician suggested a small and simple change that could make a big difference for the health of kids in school. Have recess first and eat lunch after, flipping the way most local schools schedule these important activities.

“Kids dump barely eaten lunches in a race to get out to recess,” says Dr. Martine Richardson Sacks, a developmental pediatrician at Providence Neurodevelopmental Center for Children.

What a logical suggestion. And lo and behold, before my story was even edited, More…

Category: Health and Wellness // Posted on February 3, 2010 // Leave a Comment

According to Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds, a report released on January 20, 2010, by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 8- to 18-year-olds in the United States currently spend an average of 7 hours, 38 minutes using entertainment media each day. That’s over 53 hours per week — more than a full-time job! And because kids today are so adept at “media multitasking” (using more than one type of media at a time), they actually pack the equivalent of 10 hours, 45 minutes each day using into those 7.5 hours, the report notes.

Where do parents fit into these media-use equations? According to the report, “Only about three in ten young people say More…

Category: Health and Wellness // Posted on February 1, 2010 // 1 Comment

We finally made a decision about the H1N1 vaccine, and believe me, it wasn’t easy. Back in October my husband and I were all ready to get our son the vaccine. He’s had issues with asthma and respiratory problems in the past, so we figured we should do all we could to minimize his chances of contracting this new flu strain. When we visited his doctor in October (for an unrelated issue), we asked about the vaccine. But alas, there was none to be had.

For a few weeks, I frantically searched More…

Category: Health and Wellness // Posted on January 12, 2010 // 2 Comments