Vitamins in the kitchen cupboard. Ibuprofen in the bathroom drawer. Maybe even a bottle of old prescription medication in the nightstand.

Welcome to Many-a-Home, U.S.A.

Annual sales of vitamins, diet supplements, over-the-counter drugs and prescription medication are measured in the billions of dollars. It’s difficult to go any length of time without seeing or hearing advertisements for them. It seems as if whatever ails us – or for that matter, however we might want to better ourselves, like getting an energy boost or building muscle – there’s a pill or concoction that’s touted to help.

Our kids are aware of this reality, and it presents a great opportunity to engage in an open, ongoing conversation with them about this simple fact: What we put in our bodies has an effect on us.

It’s a prime chance to talk about why certain medications or supplements are sometimes helpful, when we should take them, and why sometimes it’s better if we don’t. As parents, it’s also important to consider the attitude and approach we model when it comes to taking pills, from vitamins to Vicodin.

The importance of this issue is underscored by the increase in prescription drug abuse. A national survey shows nearly one-third of people aged 12 and older who used drugs for the first time in 2009 began by using prescription drugs non-medically. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified prescription drug overdoses as a national epidemic.

As parents, how do we shape healthy values in young people when it comes to vitamins and medications? Here are a few tips:

• Start talking about the importance of a healthy diet when children are young. Medical professionals largely agree that the best way for healthy children to get vitamins and minerals is through the food they eat. Eating meals together can help. If you choose to give your kids vitamins and other dietary supplements, take time to explain, in language they can understand, what the vitamins are and why some kids take them.

• Help young children understand that medication is not candy and any medicine they ingest has an effect on their body. Use visuals to help them recognize the difference between an over-the-counter cold pill, for example, and hard candy. Young children are information sponges and your messages to them establish an important foundation for healthy living.

• Model healthy use. Do you sometimes take over-the-counter medication for a cold or flu? Have you had an accident that precipitated taking prescription drugs for pain? Whatever the case, the good example you set, including following a doctor’s instructions and dosage recommendations, is invaluable. Explain to your child why you take medication and that you are careful about it. When it comes to prescription pills, make it clear they should never be shared and that it’s important to have a doctor’s approval to take them. Also discuss the importance of not mixing medications without a health care professional’s approval.

• Monitor prescription drugs at home and keep them in a secure place by locking them up. Keep track of how many pills are in a bottle or packet and keep tabs on refills. Remember this is not a matter of trust. It’s all about safety. A recent national study underscores one reason securing medication is so important: According to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the number of young children admitted to hospitals or seen in emergency departments because they unintentionally took a potentially toxic dose of medication has risen dramatically in recent years. Exposure to prescription products accounted for most of the emergency visits, admissions and significant harm.

• Help your kids think critically about what they see, hear and read in the media. TV ads for prescription medicine listing the numerous side effects that seem as bad as or worse than the original health problem may elicit chuckles. Other ads promote supplements and powders as ways to perform better or get healthier or in better shape. Use these and other moments as teaching opportunities.

• As a family, consider natural ways to stay healthy. This can include everything from deep breathing and taking walks for stress management to using natural remedies for illnesses. This underscores the important message that while medication is and can be helpful in many cases, there often are steps we can take before opening the medicine cabinet that benefit our bodies.

Emily Moser is the director of parenting programs at Oregon Partnership, a statewide nonprofit that exists to prevent substance abuse and suicide. For more information and parenting resources, please visit www.parentingforprevention.org, or call 503-244-5211.

The Great Recession that led to an explosion in childhood poverty began in December 2007 and ended — officially — in June 2009. But it doesn’t seem that way for almost half of Oregon’s children.

Today, 21.6 percent of Oregon children — over one in five — are living in poverty, the highest rate of poverty since 1993. That’s 183,859 kids living in poverty. Almost twice that many are in “low income” households, households that are just one paycheck or one medical emergency away from bankruptcy. More than ever before, children in poverty are the children of the college-educated, the former middle-class worker, the suburbanite and the homeowner.

Families in Oregon have been hit by layoffs, cuts in work hours, health problems and other crises. They’ve gone through savings and 401(k)s. Increasingly, they need food stamps, child care assistance and other state and community support.

Up until very recently, Oregon and the federal government were making the necessary investments in these programs, helping to keep families safe and healthy as they regain their footing after the recession. However, in the last year lawmakers have begun to walk away from that commitment, cutting the basic services that allow families to rejoin the middle class such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Employment Related Day Care (ERDC)

Morgan, a single mother with a job at a bookstore, knows what Oregon families are going through.

“I am the mother of a beautiful 1-year-old boy who depends on me to take care of him,” she says. “I don’t have family around to watch my kids. I don’t have any friends that don’t work themselves. I don’t know what I would do without day care assistance.”

Mothers like Morgan, who takes home $1,400 a month on average, need state assistance to maintain their jobs.

“Employment Related Day Care helps me so much,” she says. “I could never afford to pay for day care without it! And without day care, I would be unable to work and unable to pay rent. We all want to keep our jobs so that we can make a better life for our children.”

This assistance has become harder and harder to come by as families are wait listed for child care assistance and the state looks to reduce the aid that helps families.

Poverty and economic instability have long-term effects on our kids. Children who grow up in poverty suffer higher rates of health and developmental setbacks than other children. Their physical health, cognitive ability, school achievement and behavioral and emotional well-being suffer as well.

In short, hungry children aren’t ready to learn. Struggling families can’t stay housed and healthy.

Lawmakers need to invest in the programs that ensure our children are ready to learn, our communities are safe and healthy, and our state can get back to work. These investments ensure that when hard-working families face tough times, children can still count on getting the care they need to stay healthy and focused in school.

You can help by calling your federal lawmakers and urging them to have the courage to tackle these issues head-on, because providing Oregon kids with a better future will provide a better future for all our children and our economy. Call the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to speak to your representative.

Find more actions you can take for Oregon’s children this holiday season at cffo.org.

Children First for Oregon is a nonprofit, nonpartisan child advocacy organization committed to improving the lives of Oregon’s vulnerable children and their families. Our mission is to make long-term systemic change by advocating for policies and programs that keep children healthy and safe and strengthen families.

Regan Gray, Policy Director at Children First for Oregon, has spent over nine years working in the Oregon Legislature, both as staff and as an advocate. She currently chairs the Healthy Kids Steering Committee. Regan has previously served as Chair of the Oregon Commission for Women, as a Board member at Basic Rights Oregon PAC, and as staff for the Oregon Women’s Health and Wellness Alliance. Her past research and policy experience has focused on health care, human services, domestic violence and labor rights. Regan graduated from Portland State University with a B.S. in Women’s Studies and minors in Political Science and Art History.

Did you know that secondhand smoke in a car can be up to 27 times stronger than in a smoker’s home? When smoking in a car, some people may think cracking a window is enough to get rid of the smoke, but sadly, it’s not.

When a child is in a car with a person who is smoking, she is being exposed to high levels of toxic secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke leads to many negative health effects in both children and adults. Children are even more at risk to the effects of secondhand smoke because their bodies and lungs are still developing.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, repeated exposure to secondhand smoke can cause asthma in children who did not have asthma symptoms before. In addition, children who have asthma experience worse symptoms and have an increased number of attacks.

Regular exposure to secondhand smoke has been shown to increase respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia in children ages 6 and older. Secondhand smoke also has been linked to an increase in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Often, more health problems are discovered in adulthood such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia and even lung disease.

As then U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona stated in 2006, “The science is clear: secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance, but a serious health hazard that causes premature death and disease in children and nonsmoking adults.” Carmona went on to conclude, “There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.”

Most people agree that certain actions should be taken to protect the public’s health, especially those who can’t fight for themselves. According to the 2011 “Oregon Tobacco Facts and Laws” report (Oregon Health Authority), here is how Oregonians feel about secondhand smoke and driving:
ο 83 percent of Oregonians say smoking is never allowed in their cars.
ο 46 percent of smokers who have children say smoking is never allowed in their cars.
ο 94 percent of Oregonians believe secondhand smoke is harmful to one’s health.
ο 90 percent of Oregonians believe people should be protected from secondhand smoke.

So many preventable deaths, hospitalizations and illnesses are caused by secondhand smoke. Making motor vehicles a smoke-free zone is something we all can do to improve the health of others and prevent lung disease. Children need to be protected from the damaging effects of secondhand smoke. Keeping our cars smoke-free when children are present is a huge step in the right direction.

Here are some tips for parents:
o Do not smoke in your car.
o Do not allow passengers to smoke in your car.
o Keep cigarettes and lighters out of your car.
o Take our Smoke-free Car & Home Pledge (available at: SmokefreeCarsForKids.org).
o Post a “Smoke-free” sign in a window of your car.

Take our Smoke-free Car Pledge today at SmokefreeCarsForKids.org, and join us to continue the conversation on our “Smokefree Cars For Kids” Facebook Group!

Ready to quit smoking? Call the American Lung Association’s HelpLine/Tobacco Quit Line at: 1-800-LUNG-USA or go to Freedom From Smoking Online at: ffsonline.org.

Colleen Hermann-Franzen is the regional advocacy and outreach manager for the American Lung Association (ALA) of the Mountain Pacific. Colleen is responsible for coordinating the Lung Association’s tobacco control advocacy work in Oregon and collaborating with colleagues to coordinate the communications and media outreach for the ALA Mountain Pacific region.

Parenting is the best job in the world. At times, it’s also the most difficult. As our kids progress from preschool into elementary school and beyond, the rewards and challenges increase. We become part of a larger community of parents and children, along with incredibly dedicated teachers and other school staff. As parents of school-age children, we also have to learn how to navigate new systems, with their own languages and an endless number of acronyms (from “PTA” to “NCLB”). School funding also joins our list of worries.

Fortunately, a great resource for parents is coming your way this month. The 11th annual Parent Leadership Conference will be held Oct. 22 at Parkrose High School. Breakfast, lunch and childcare are all provided at no cost. The conference is sponsored by Community & Parents for Public Schools (CPPS), a nonprofit group working to increase parent involvement in five Portland-area school districts: Portland Public Schools, Centennial, David Douglas, Parkrose, and Reynolds.

Every year the Parent Leadership Conference features great workshops, with something for everyone. Some workshops are aimed at elementary school parents. Some are pitched for parents whose children are in that tricky transition to middle grades. Still others are tailored for parents of high school students. If you’re a new public school parent, there’s an introduction to parent involvement workshop. If you’re a veteran parent into advocacy, we’ve got some provocative offerings for you, too. Each workshop features a variety of resources and plenty of time for discussion.

The workshops reflect our experience as parents and our philosophy – that parent involvement is crucial to student success. What do we mean by parent involvement? The average person (and, sadly, many educators) think only of volunteering in the classroom, attending PTA meetings and selling rolls of wrapping paper to raise funds. These are all important tasks, but we at CPPS believe there’s more to it than that. Research clearly shows that where strong family-school partnerships are built, kids do better.

Parents can and should be partners in their children’s education. Part of that partnership involves schools helping parents keep in touch with what’s going on in the classroom, and specifically what we can do at home to help our children learn. We’ve found that parents get surprisingly little guidance from schools, beyond “read to them at home.” As children get older, parents tend to get pushed out of the classroom, and school-parent communication tends to drop off. It becomes more challenging to stay engaged at a time when our kids need our guidance even more. Again, we’ve found that schools give us little help in how our role should change as our children reach middle grades and high school.

Because schools aren’t perfect, and each of our children is unique, parent involvement also means parents need to learn how to advocate at school for their child’s needs. We also have a role in decision-making at the school and district level, and in holding our schools accountable, so that all kids have the opportunity to get a great education.

Many of the workshops at the Parent Leadership Conference focus on helping us gain the skills and knowledge we need to take care of our primary responsibility – our own child. Others are aimed at the bigger picture of changing the system and holding school districts accountable.

As this article goes to press, we’re still working on the list of workshops, but here’s a sample of what likely will be on this year’s slate:
• Preschooler Development: How Our Little Ones Learn
• Helping Your Child Become a Better Writer
• Understanding the Adolescent Brain
• Helping Your Child Deal with Electronics: Facebook, Video Games, etc.
• Advocating for Your Special Needs Child
• Keeping the Lines of Communication Open in High School

Most workshops are in English, but there also will be offerings in Spanish, Vietnamese, Somali, Chinese and Russian, and translators are available.

At the conference, you’ll meet parents from all over the city. This is the most diverse gathering of parents around! After a brief introductory session, there will be two sets of workshops for you to choose from, with 16 workshops in each session. We’ll reconvene for lunch and a closing session looking at the big picture of our role as parents in the public school system.

Find out more and register online at cppsportland.org/plc.

Community & Parents for Public Schools (CPPS), the Portland chapter of Parents for Public Schools, is part of a nationwide network of grassroots organizations focused on increasing parent, family and community involvement in public education. Launched in January of 1999, CPPS is committed to building a sustainable network of diverse parent, family, and community voices to ensure a high quality education for all children in Portland.

There are many pressing concerns for young students as they gear up for a new school year. Is my best friend going to be in my class? Can I get a Hello Kitty lunchbox? (Please?) And though the latest Hello Kitty design might not be a parent’s biggest concern, it is easy to be more consumed with the immediate stresses of the upcoming school year (will my kid get a teacher that fits his learning style? Will he fit in?) than with the almost unseen changes that are happening in Portland Public Schools (PPS).

You might be surprised to learn how much these events will affect your kids for years to come.

The May 2011 election brought us four new school board members: two incumbents and two newbies. (The board has seven members total.) Why should you be alarmed about the lack of publicity around these elections? Because the school board has the crucial task of approving the budget, setting a strategic vision for the district and hiring and firing the superintendent.

Plus, there’s a lot of room for improvement in Portland Public Schools. Our graduation rates pale in comparison to nearby districts with similar demographics. (Our overall graduation rate is 53 percent. For Hispanic students it’s 35 percent, and for economically disadvantaged kids and boys it’s 48 percent.) The Milestone Framework tracking student learning is a good start, and there are a good number of extremely successful schools in PPS, but the district as a whole needs a much clearer focus on improving teaching and learning to ensure more of our students succeed.

And then there’s the money. Portland voters stepped up again to approve a levy that saved 200 PPS teaching jobs. This is good news when you consider class size and electives. On the other hand, in a shocker for liberal Portland, voters defeated a facilities bond to rebuild nine schools and provide upgrades at all of them. It’s back to the drawing board to fix PPS’s aging buildings, and to find a package more palatable to voters. Though some argue that the bond was defeated strictly because of its size ($550 million), I’ve talked to a variety of people who voted no because they needed to see more progress from PPS on student learning and more of a concrete plan from the school board on how to get there.

Wishing you had stuck to Hello Kitty? Stay with me. There’s only one issue left: The teacher/district contract.

This contract, which was settled in the spring, determines how teachers are hired, paid, transferred and evaluated. Research documents the overwhelming importance of strong educators, and school districts and unions from Seattle to New Haven are opening their contracts to eliminate barriers to recruiting and retaining excellent teachers. Did PPS make progress in these areas?

Sort of.

The shining star of the new contract is a revamped teacher evaluation tool. Most PPS teachers I talk to haven’t had a real evaluation in years, and the district’s 30-year-old tool was a pass/fail checklist. A workgroup of teachers and principals created a new evaluation tool that goes into effect this fall. We hear it’s good and that principals will be trained on how to use it (an essential step). This means steady growth for PPS educators. Not until next year, though, will the workgroup talk about factoring student achievement into those evaluations.

Unfortunately, serious problems remain with how PPS places teachers in classrooms. Layoffs are still based blindly on seniority. With the budget cuts, I’ve already heard of schools losing some of their strongest teachers because they’re more junior. And unassigned teachers with seniority can be placed in new jobs even if they don’t want to be there or aren’t a great fit for students. A contract change is needed to allow schools flexibility over whom they hire for their students.

Statewide, too, there are bills to fund all-day kindergarten, grant high school student more access to classes at community colleges, and create a more unified statewide education system to tear down the silos between early education, K-12 and universities. Stay tuned on those.

So, like your child, you’ll have homework this year, too. It’s important to follow education news and speak up about the issues that affect students. Introduce yourself to your child’s teachers and principal, and talk to them throughout the year about how your child is progressing. Your student needs you now more than ever – and certainly more than that shiny new lunchbox.

Tyler Whitmire is the Portland Director of Stand for Children, a membership-based child-advocacy group. Stand’s mission is to use the power of grassroots action to help all children in Oregon get the excellent public education and strong support they need to thrive. Whitmire, who originally hails from the Washington, D.C., area, started at Stand as a community organizer in 2008. Contact her at twhitmire@stand.org.

Many pregnant women seek to experience a positive, natural birth and to find confidence and balance in mothering, but some find themselves unprepared for the work of birth and the transition to motherhood more complex and solitary than expected. Standard prenatal care doesn’t always help. It can be a rushed and superficial experience, inadequate to address the concerns that emerge during pregnancy. Several studies demonstrate that the dominant model of prenatal care in the United States lacks scientific evidence and doesn’t serve families as well as it could.

To help expectant mothers experience healthy pregnancies, feel prepared for birth and make an informed transition into motherhood, nurse midwives at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) now offer group prenatal care.

The first group prenatal care model, Centering Pregnancy, was developed in 1989 by nurse midwife Sharon Shindler-Rising. Research on this model consistently demonstrates high patient satisfaction and good pregnancy outcomes. As our team at OHSU initiated group care, we used Centering Pregnancy’s model but modified the discussion topics and format to better address our patients’ needs. Dana, 34, who experienced group care, commented:

“Being a part of this diverse group of women was, without reservation, the best health care experience I have had. Every visit combined an opportunity for confidential questions to be answered, as well as meeting as a group. I felt so connected to the other women — it was a comfort to know that others were going through exactly what I was! It was more than a health care group – we created a community of strength, support and confidence in pregnancy and birth, regardless of our backgrounds or birth plans.”

When a woman selects group prenatal care, her first two visits are conducted privately. At about 16 to 20 weeks, the group phase of care begins. Generally there are five to eight women in each group, all with similar due dates. Some are experiencing a first pregnancy, others are already mothers. Variety in experience and background helps create lively, thoughtful conversations.

We gather for eight two-hour sessions. In the first hour, each woman meets briefly with her midwife in a semi-private area of the room where individual concerns are discussed and baby’s growth and heartbeat are evaluated. When not interacting with the midwife, patients socialize and enjoy snacks and tea, weighing themselves, receiving blood pressure checks and exploring educational materials. During the second hour, the nurse midwife facilitates group discussion on a variety of topics regarding pregnancy, birth and parenting. Many women bring their partner, friend or mother while others attend alone.

Many women have asked what it’s like to be part of this kind of prenatal care. Jessica, who was in our first group, offers the following reflection:

“I found the additional time with the midwives dramatically enriched my pregnancy. It would be impossible for a single expectant mother to voice all of her concerns in single 20-minute office visits. However, since so many women share the same thoughts during pregnancy, much more is covered in a group setting. Topics introduced by the midwives often expanded or morphed into very different, and valuable, conversations … . Knowing that the other expectant moms were undergoing the same experiences at roughly the same time as me, with the same fears, expectations, and excitement, was incredibly supporting.”

How does group prenatal care make a difference? While we do not yet have enough quantitative data to draw firm conclusions, it is our team’s experience that group prenatal care patients are generally confident, resilient and well-informed during the work and joys of birth. Many group care patients report that the skills and information they gained through group care proved invaluable during labor.

Rosa, 28, offers: “I worked with contractions all night. There were several points when I said out loud, ‘I do not think I can do this anymore,’ and I would remember in group how we discussed every woman reaching that point. This is progress, I would think.”

Does any of this influence the larger work of mothering?

Jessica, 38, says: “Hearing from the other mothers in group that breastfeeding is hard at first but gets easier helped me through those first few months, and I’m still nursing our 15-month-old. The richness of my birth experience has absolutely made me a better mom.” This, of course, is an essential goal in pregnancy care – creating a strong foundation for the work and joys of mothering.

Learn More
For information about OHSU’s group prenatal program, visit ohsuhealth.com/midwifery (click on “Our Services” then “Group Prenatal Care Option”).

Ellen Tilden, R.N., C.N.M, M.S., is a certified nurse midwife at OHSU Hospital who specializes in maternity care and normal labor, including water birth; well-woman exams, gynecology and family planning; and group prenatal care. She also is an instructor in the OHSU School of Nursing’s No. 1-ranked Nurse-Midwifery Program (U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools 2012″).

Unfortunately, people get sick and injuries happen. When your child is crying and in pain, it can be hard to decide whether to make an appointment with your primary care physician, rush to the emergency room or head to an urgent care clinic.

Primary care physicians are often the best choice for most healthcare needs. Not only do they have a personal relationship with your child, but they know your child’s medical history, including allergies, vaccinations and recent illnesses. However, it can be difficult to see your doctor on short notice or after-hours … and some medical issues need immediate attention.

In the case of any life-threatening injury or illness, always dial 9-1-1 and/or go straight to the emergency room. ER staff is equipped to treat any severe injury and illness in the fastest way possible. But in the case of non-life-threatening yet still urgent injuries and illnesses, you may want to reconsider a trip to the emergency room. Emergency rooms are becoming increasingly overcrowded (our national average wait time is now over four hours) and costly – especially for those paying out-of-pocket.

Urgent care facilities are an excellent choice when you need to see a doctor quickly, but aren’t facing a life-threatening illness or injury, because they bridge the gap between a physician’s office and the ER. Wait times at urgent care clinics are much shorter than emergency rooms and patients pay less out-of-pocket costs. For those with health insurance, nearly all forms are accepted at most urgent care facilities.

Throughout my career in emergency and ambulatory medicine, I’ve spoken with many parents who have a misconception of urgent care. Many don’t know that some urgent care facilities have licensed physicians on staff at all times, x-ray equipment, lab testing, and pharmacies on-site to expedite your visit. It’s important to ask the urgent care clinic nearest you to see what services they provide, if you will be seen by a physician and how much they cost before an emergency strikes.

In the heat of the moment, it can be hard to tell which health care option is right for you. Here are some tips for helping you decide:

Fevers

Fevers are uncomfortable and can be worrisome. A low-grade fever can usually wait for the next available appointment with your family doctor. If your child has a mild to moderate fever, between 100-103°F, and other symptoms of the common flu or cold, urgent care is a great option for helping your child feel better fast. However, if your child has a fever over 103°F that isn’t coming down with appropriate doses acetaminophen or ibuprofen, or has a fever accompanied by seizures, neck stiffness or abdominal pain you should call 9-1-1 and head straight to the ER.

Flu symptoms

Sore throats, strep throat and the flu are still common in the spring. If the symptoms are mild and aren’t causing you or your child a lot of pain or discomfort, you may choose to wait to see a primary care provider. More often than not, these illnesses leave you or your child feeling awful and urgent care is a convenient way to be seen by a doctor, have the appropriate medical tests and get started on the right course of treatment ASAP. Remember, your family doesn’t have to suffer from symptoms waiting for your doctor’s next available appointment!

Broken bones and fractures

As the weather improves and Portlanders spend more time outdoors, broken bones and fractures are more common. An injury like this can cause quite a scare and needs to be treated quickly, but you don’t always need to rush to the ER. Many urgent care facilities are equipped to perform x-rays and provide care for the injury on-site rather than having to face a long wait at the ER. However, if the break is so severe that the bone has pierced the skin, you’ll need to go straight to the emergency room.

Here comes the sun

Unfortunately, the sun can also cause nasty sunburns, heat exhaustion, or heatstroke. Mild to moderate sunburns can often be treated at home, but if you need a little extra help, urgent care clinics are a quick and effective solution. The same applies to heat exhaustion. Heatstroke, marked by a high fever, requires immediate treatment and you should always call 9-1-1 and/or go straight to the emergency room.

A good overall rule of thumb is this: for any life-threatening injury, dial 9-1-1. For any non-life-threatening injuries, however, you can often be treated quickly and efficiently at an urgent care clinic. Make sure you call ahead to see if a board-certified physician is on staff and verify if the clinic accepts your health insurance. For any injury or illness that isn’t causing you or your child pain or discomfort, you may make an appointment with your primary care physician.

Dr. Kelly Leaf is the medical director at Doctors Express of Lake Oswego. Doctors Express, a national group of independently owned urgent care facilities, is now open in Lake Oswego at 17437 Boones Ferry Rd. www.doctorsexpress.com/lakeoswego.

The information contained in this article is intended as general information only and should not be construed as medical advice for any specific situation or individual. Readers should contact a health care professional for all medical concerns.

Many area kids are counting the days until Spring Break. Excitement reigns. For parents, however, the reaction can be mixed.

Maybe Spring break means a reprieve from the typical busy week of homework and shuttling between school and activities, but for parents who will clock in at work during Spring Break, kids’ time off can present challenges. How can you ensure a fun and safe Spring Break for your kids amid your busy workweek?

Consider connecting with the parents of your child’s friends to share the responsibility of dropping off and picking up kids from activities. Better yet, if at all possible, try to coordinate with other parents to take a different day off work during the week so you can take turns chaperoning a group of kids. It will spread out the carpooling duties, add a little fun to your week, and help you better connect with other parents and your child’s friends.

Whatever your schedule, here are a few ideas for keeping kids active and engaged during Spring Break. Responsible older kids can chaperone younger siblings if parents are at work. Parents who are home can share these activities with their own kids and their children’s friends.

• Organize a neighborhood soccer, basketball or baseball game.
• Catch a movie.
• Visit a museum or community center. Many community centers also host Spring Break camps and classes.
• Go to a local laser tag or paintball place, or visit an area skate park or rock gym.
• Hit a bucket of golf balls or play a round of golf.
• Explore an area park or hiking trail you’ve never visited.
• Get a jump on Earth Day. Invite friends to help clean up a nearby park, then have a picnic there.
• Volunteer at a local charity or help your child organize their own community service project.
• Check out a local historic site or building.
• Plan a meal or barbecue, shop for groceries and prepare the food. Make it a family dinner or invite the neighbors.
• Head to the mountain to sled, ski or snowboard.
• If your family or neighbors are from another culture or are interested in sharing information about other cultures, consider cooking ethnic food together, sharing a meal and exchanging info about other countries and cultures.
• If you’re the parent of a teen, look into mentoring opportunities for your kids. Older kids develop leadership skills and younger kids spend some time with someone they can look up to.

Whether it’s sports, spending time outdoors, volunteering or engaging in other interests, busy kids have great opportunities to learn and grow. They are less likely to get involved in risky behaviors, too. Research backs this up. The more activities kids are involved with, the less likely they are to use alcohol and other drugs.

And remember, keeping kids busy doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of money. The value of staying busy is effective regardless of whether an activity carries a price tag. Many activities are inexpensive or even free, such as volunteering, participating in a church youth group or helping organize a neighborhood movie review club.

This article was developed by Oregon Partnership (OP), a statewide nonprofit that exists to end substance abuse and suicide. For spring break week activity ideas, please visit OP’s website at www.orpartnership.org. To read OP’s Parenting for Prevention e-newsletter, visit orpartnership.org and click on the Parenting for Prevention link on the home page.

We protect our children from any number of dangers: strangers, traffic, household chemicals – the list goes on and on. But recent news reports have highlighted a new hazard – medical radiation.

So what is radiation, and how can we protect our kids from unnecessary exposure?

Simply put, radiation is energy. It’s organized on a spectrum or scale according to frequency. We’re all familiar with the lower energy types of radiation: microwaves, visible light, radio waves, infrared light, etc. These types of radiation are non-ionizing, meaning they do not possess enough energy to remove an electron from the orbit of an atom. Non-ionizing radiation can be harmful (think about leaving a piece of chicken in the microwave too long), but not in the same way as ionizing radiation. Both natural and man-made radiation contribute to background radiation, from which we all receive small daily doses.

In contrast to non-ionizing radiation, ionizing radiation does possess enough energy to remove that electron from its atom. This type of radiation can cause damage in several ways. A single large dose can produce short-term effects and long-term effects, while repeated smaller doses can produce only long-term effects. Short-term effects include skin burns, hair loss, damage to reproductive cells and damage to cells of the bone marrow. This type of damage will be evident within days or weeks of the exposure. It is important to note that the dose required to produce these effects is quite high.

Long-term effects from ionizing radiation can result from a single, high dose exposure or lower doses of radiation over a long period of time. These repeated, low dose exposures are the type we are most likely to encounter in medical imaging. Long-term effects include cataracts, radiation-induced dermatitis and cancer. (To cause cataracts, the radiation exposure must be concentrated to the eyes. To cause dermatitis, the exposure must be concentrated on an area of skin.)

Researchers have found a link between exposure to radiation and leukemia (blood or bone marrow cancer) in both atomic bomb survivors and early radiologists. These populations were exposed to significant radiation doses, either in a single event or over a lifetime. Today, because cancer is a relatively common disease, we cannot prove that medical radiation alone is responsible for any given case.

When a child is brought to a doctor’s office or a hospital, the physician may use any number of different imaging exams, or modalities, to help diagnosis an illness. Some of these use radiation and some do not. Here’s a breakdown of the different modalities.

Modalities Using Ionizing Radiation:

X-ray: X-ray exams use ionizing radiation to produce images of the body. Generally, bone will absorb x-rays and soft tissues (ligaments, tendons, internal organs) will allow x-rays to pass through. The difference between the tissues produces the image.

CT: CT, CAT, or computed tomography tests also use ionizing radiation. A CT uses a rotating x-ray tube to produce three-dimensional images of the body. These exams provide much more detail and information, but they also give a higher dose than regular x-ray exams.

Angiography: This modality uses x-rays combined with contrast, or x-ray dye, to view the heart and blood vessels throughout the body. These exams are used when a blockage of a vessel is suspected. Physicians also can treat some medical issues during an angiogram.

Nuclear Medicine: These tests use compounds called radionuclides to demonstrate function of a particular organ or system. The radionuclide emits radiation, which is captured by cameras. The compounds can be injected, inhaled or ingested.

Modalities Not Using Ionizing Radiation

Ultrasound: Ultrasound uses a high frequency sound wave to produce images. A transducer emits the sound wave, which bounces off the various structures in the body to produce images. Ultrasound is excellent for imaging soft tissues.

MRI: Magnetic Resonance Imaging uses a very strong magnetic field and radio waves to perform an exam. The magnetic field aligns certain atoms in the body; the radio waves are then used to manipulate those atoms. The resulting signal is processed by a computer to produce the images.

To help reduce pediatric radiation exposure, Legacy Health has implemented the Image Gently campaign, which is committed to conscientious imaging of children in all modalities. The campaign provides guidelines for doctors, imaging technologists and parents. For more information, visit legacyhealth.org, then follow the links to Health Services and Information, All Legacy Services, Imaging, Image Gently.

Jennifer Adams, RT(R), is a staff radiologic technologist at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center.

Imagine you’re fixing dinner and you hear a television news story about a product recall. You take action, making sure the product isn’t in your home and talking with your children so they stay safe.

Those same simple, effective steps – getting informed, sharing what you know and guiding your kids – also apply to alcohol and other drug trends. Even if your children are very young, it’s never too early to prepare.

As a parent, I know the topic of “what’s new out there” with alcohol and other drugs can be overwhelming, even scary. But keeping pace with drug trends is empowering because it helps us ensure our kids are safe and healthy.

And make no mistake: there is an ever-changing cadre of substances available to our children. Consider a dangerous synthetic cannabis known as “buzz,” “spice” or “K2.” It made headlines this past summer when an Oregon teenager ended up in an emergency room after using the substance, and again in the fall when the state banned the sale and possession of it. Use of this substance had been on the increase in Oregon, where it was sold legally in head shops and online as incense.

Changing drug trends don’t just concern synthetic marijuana. A drug known as “sunshine” emerged recently that, according to news reports, comes in the form of white powder and causes agitation, a fast heart rate, high blood pressure, chest pains, seizures and other symptoms.

Evidence of a shifting drug landscape also is found on store shelves. The rising popularity of energy drinks – themselves potentially unhealthy – has spawned a new category of alcoholic energy drinks. These sweet, high-alcohol, caffeinated beverages have raised serious concerns because of the dangers of mixing alcohol with caffeine. Caffeine masks alcohol’s intoxicating effects, making people feel like they are not getting drunk as quickly. That can lead them to drink more, with potentially lethal results.
The dangers were underscored when Washington college students were sent to the hospital this past fall after reportedly drinking Four Loko, an alcoholic energy drink nicknamed “blackout in a can” that is packaged in large, soda pop-looking cans.

In the wake of incidents such as the one involving the Washington college students, Oregon, Washington and a few other states have banned the drinks. Oregon’s decision came shortly after the federal government sent a warning letter in mid-November to four companies, among them Four Loko’s manufacturer, to stop selling caffeinated alcoholic beverages. But Four Loko has reappeared in stores – packaged in the same colorful, youth-friendly cans – without the stimulants but still packing a whopping and dangerous 12 percent alcohol.

The ever-changing drug landscape presents a great opportunity for parents to educate kids about steering clear of substances and to raise awareness among other parents. Here are a few tips:

• Stay Connected: Take time to do fun things with your children. This establishes a relaxed atmosphere away from a family’s hectic schedule and fosters open conversations with kids about the challenges and influences they face.
• Stay Informed: Drug trends make news – on the air, via the Internet and among your own community of parents, neighbors, teachers and others. If you hear of something “new,” try to find out as much as possible. Contact a drug prevention organization such as Oregon Partnership (orpartnership.org; 503-244-5211) for resources. Spread the word by talking with parents you know, and encourage them to do the same. Connecting with other parents helps people not only stay informed, but also provides a support network.
• Share What You Know: The “drug talk” is most effective when you have it regularly with your kids. Share your knowledge of the risks, establish rules about not using alcohol and other drugs, and emphasize the importance of making healthy decisions and surrounding themselves with friends who make positive choices.
• Stay in Touch: Know where your kids are and with whom they spend time. If your child has a cell phone, limit use and require him to respond to your messages or calls. And check the contents of your child’s phone. It’s not about distrust. It’s about safety, and such actions reduce harmful activities.

Remember, keeping drug trends on the radar is empowering for you and your family. If you have a very young child, keep in mind that, though you may not be at the stage where you talk with them about alcohol and other drug prevention, the time you spend together and memories you make create a “cushion” that will help protect them against future risky behavior.

Emily Moser is director of parenting programs at Oregon Partnership, a statewide nonprofit that exists to end substance abuse and suicide. For parenting resources, please call 503-244-5211, or visit orpartnership.org.