Health & Wellness Library

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3 Cool rules for being safe in the pool

A swimming pool is a great place for kids to cool off. It's also a great place for kids to get into trouble when no one's looking. How well does your child swim? Pool safety starts before your child ever gets into the water and understanding your child’s skill level can help you make smart decisions about water safety. You can learn more about your child’s swimming ability by going to your local YMCA to receive a FREE swim assessment. If your child is not a strong swimmer, enroll him or her in swim classes. The YMCA offers swimming classes for children six months and up. Even children that pass a swim assessment can benefit from additional swim instruction. Learning the rules of the water and how to be a strong swimmer is a great defense against drowning.

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Caffeine and kids: What to know to keep your child's heart healthy

"Caffeine is generally recognized as safe by the FDA, but caffeine is not recommended for children," says Children's Health registered dietitian, Denon Stacy. "The U.S. doesn't have official guidelines for caffeine intake in children, but a safe threshold according to a recent edition of the Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology is < or = 2.5 mg caffeine/kilogram/day remains an acceptable limitation."

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A parent's guide to fireworks safety

For many, the Fourth of July holiday is a highlight of summer – and fireworks are often part of the day's festivities. Because of how common they are, many parents may think at-home fireworks are harmless for their children, but that is unfortunately not the case. More than 10,000 people are treated in emergency departments in the U.S. each year due to injury from fireworks. Of these, nearly a third are children under 15.

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3 Tips for healthy summer eating

Many students associate the onset of summer break with freedom – no homework, no tardy bells and no schedules. But for many families, that freedom also brings a loss of structure. Healthy lifestyle goals are easily forgotten as children sleep late, snack all day and rediscover daytime TV.

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Is technology affecting your child's mental health?

Technology has many benefits when used responsibly: It can help us connect with others, find answers to questions and can even help improve productivity. But as rates of depression rise in adolescents, many wonder if screens and social media are negatively affecting our children's well-being.

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Early signs and symptoms of autism

The signs of autism can show up early - even during infancy. While some children may have symptoms of autism at 6 months old, others will be symptom free until they are almost 2 years old. Most children with autism begin showing symptoms before the age of three.

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How to choose the best sunscreen for your child

When it comes to buying the right sunscreen, there are so many choices you may not know which is best. Sunscreen, or sunblock, protects skin against the sun's ultraviolet A (UVA) ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, which cause sunburn.

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The benefits of off-season training

During summer or at other times throughout the year, many athletes will have a welcome break from regular season practice and competition. The off-season – the time of year that falls between post-season competition and pre-season training – offers athletes a unique opportunity to rest, recuperate and improve their overall athletic ability.

Article

5 Tips for preventing hot car deaths

We all know that the Texas summer heat is serious business. But did you know that Texas leads the nation in hot car deaths? Each year an average of 10 children in Texas die from being left a hot car. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, on a relatively mild 80-degree day, the temperature inside a car can rise 19 degrees in just 10 minutes. And because a child's body heats up three to five times faster than an adult's, the risk of heat stroke, brain damage and death is much greater for children left in hot cars.

Infographic

Protect your family from insect-borne illnesses [Infographic]

According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of disease cases from mosquito, tick and flea bites has more than tripled from 2004 to 2016. Additionally, nine new germs spread by mosquitos and ticks have been discovered since 2004.