Funny how coincidences occur. So just when my daughter and I had caught this strange and miserable bug that little O had, I open a page of last month’s issue of Parents magazine and there it was, an article on “Know The Bad Tummy Bugs” or something to that effect. And there it was, the Norovirus, the bad guy who had invaded our bodies.

Thats a photo of him above by the way, in all his grim 3D glory. Heres what you need to know, as it is a very common virus:

Norovirus is the most common cause of infectious gastroenteritis in England and Wales. Although relatively mild, norovirus illness can occur at any age because immunity to it is not long-lasting. The disease was historically known as “winter vomiting disease” due to its seasonality and typical symptoms. Outbreaks of Norovirus gastroenteritis are common in semi-closed environments such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools and cruise ships.

How does Norovirus spread?

The virus is easily transmitted from one person to another. It can be transmitted by contact with an infected person; by consuming contaminated food or water or by contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of norovirus infection will begin around 12 to 48 hours after becoming infected. The illness is self-limiting and the symptoms will last for 12 to 60 hours. They will start with the sudden onset of nausea followed by projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea. Some people may have a raised temperature, headaches and aching limbs. Most people make a full recovery within 1-2 days, however some people (usually the very young or elderly) may become very dehydrated and require hospital treatment.

[tags]norovirus, stomach virus, kids disease[/tags]

Like they say, theres a first time for everything, and it was the first time for me to have one one of my children be admitted to hospital. We were lucky, I suppose, as the pediatric floor was initally full, and Dr.J told us we’d have to head for the emergency room until a bed became vacant. A few minutes before we left the house, however, she texted me to say to head straight for the admissions desk, as a room was now available. I was about as chuffed as one could be when their child is about to be admitted to hospital. Relieved that we wouldnt be spending a good part of the night at the emergency room, but still feeling pretty anxious.

The pediatric ward was the same as all the other hospital floors, except for colourful animal signs as the room numbers (ours was a panda), and a cheery-looking playroom which unfortunately had a forbidding sign taped on the door saying “closed for general cleaning”. Hurumph. My sister helped us check in and get sorted in the room (hubby is abroad - dang! of all times when I could do with husbandly support), and within minutes the resident doctor and some nurses came in to see my little O.

Weak as ever, O was a dream when they put in the i.v. drip, with hardly any complaining except for a small cry when the needle went in (this impressed the doctors who were expecting the usual struggle at this particular floor). Within minutes he was fast asleep. Probably from the sheer exhaustion of the day, poor thing. I was pretty beat myself, so after a quick trip to the basement cafeteria for some supplies, I watched American Idol until I fell asleep only to be awoken by a nurse two hours later.

[tags]sick kids, hospital, pediatric ward[/tags]

After my soon-to-be 5-year-old saw a fabulous pirate girl costume at our local party shop, it was a done deal. Its going to be a pirate party!! Luckily for Mom, the shop was on 50% off (hurrah!), so we stocked up on plates, hats, cups and so on. Next up was research time on the internet, as I was more of a girly kid in my youth, preferring princesses and castles to dirty, brazen-mouth pirates. I think my daughter takes after my hubby in that respect!

Online, I found some pretty great resources, like Birthday Party Ideas, which I would highly recommend for any parent planning any party. Written by parents who so kindly share their experience with loads of tips and advice, the site has all the birthday party themes any kid would want, with over 150 categories of fantastic birthday party ideas. I love it!!

For Pirate Kids party fayre, the site Pirate Party Food has some easy kid-friendly recipes to give you some creative ideas when planning for the party’s menu.

More ideas which came in handy were found at Boardman’s Birthday Party Ideas, like some thorough instructions for the invitations like how you should dip the paper in coffee for that old ragged look, and very pirate-y wording like:

“Aye…..ye be invited fer some birthday spirits at Captn Tyler’s Buccaneer Bash
Chart yer course fer the “location” ? day of month
We be a meetin at “time” fer some swashbuckling fun, grub and kiddie spirits.
Wave yer flag if ye be attendin or hav yer mum send message by yer phone to “number”
Sees ye there…..aarrgghh!

Yesterday we hit the shops in search for pirate loot for the prizes etc, and although we did find a good amount of stuff, I’m still kicking myself for not being more organized and getting stocked up at Halloween when all the pirate-y goods like skeletons, skulls and so forth were everywhere. But such is the last-minute decision making of 4-year-olds! I’ll have to search for my inner Martha now. Aaaarrgh!

[tags]Pirate party, kids’s party, birthdays, 5th birthday[/tags]

The daring parents we are, we’ve now taken our two kids to Thailand for a family holiday. As my husband had some work to attend to in the region, we decided to meet up in Bangkok and fly down to Koh Samui for a two week holiday.

And even more daring, I think, is that I flew solo with a 21-month-old and 4 year-old to Bangkok. To make things worse, my 21-month-old came down with a raging fever that very morning we were leaving, promptly vomiting on me (twice) in the car on the way to the airport. A very important lesson in travel with kids (and perhaps the single most important thing to do) - bring more than 2 sets of extra clothes (this means for Mom as well)!! The longer the journey and the younger the child, add an extra shirt or two, or be doomed to buying something hideously ill-fitting or overpriced at the duty free when you touch down.

After a frenzied call to Dr.J, who assured me that the show must go on and that a cold with fever is no big deal, we arrived at the airport, got through airport security, made it through to the plane, and finally arrived in Bangkok. The plane journey turned out to be pretty painless actually, my little girl was thrilled with her window seat, headset and kid’s meal saying “Mom, this is the best ever!, can I always have food like this?”, and amazingly, my little boy slept most of the way through.

Upon arrival, the flight attendant informed me that our stroller would NOT be available until the baggage carousel (grrrr), which was a real nightmare if you have ever been to the new airport in Bangkok and know how many miles you have to walk until you reach the baggage claim.

After a seemingly endless number of those flat escalator thingies (sorry I just cant remember what they’re called), going through immigration (I think the Thai police pitied us with my son screaming in line and opened a desk just for us to stop upsetting the other travellers) and getting our bags (which came out last, of course), it was the most wonderful feeling of all seeing my husband at the greeting area while my kids screamed Dada! and with a sigh of relief, I handed the stroller over to him.

[tags]Travel with children,Kids travel,Asia,Thailand,Koh Samui,Air travel with kids[/tags]

Heres the last installation of how your family should prepare for an earthquake - what to do if when it is happening and after. I know its an awful prospect, but if like me, you’ve been through one, it really does make sense to give preparation and planning some thought.

In a nutshell, when there is an earthquake happening, if there is only one rule to remember its to TAKE COVER AND STAY THERE.

1. If you’re inside your home, stay there. Get out of the kitchen… safer places are inside halls, in corners, in archways. Take cover under a heavy table, desk or any solid furniture that you can get under and hold onto. Protect your head and face. Doors may slam on your fingers if you’re in a doorway. Avoid areas near windows.

2. If you’re in a yard outside your home, stay there and get clear of buildings and wires that could fall on you.

3. Don’t go outside where you may be hit by falling debris… sidewalks next to tall buildings are particularly dangerous.

4. Avoid elevators… if you’re in an elevator when an earthquake happens, hit all floor buttons and get out when you can. High rise residents will hear fire alarms go off and electricity may fail.

5. If you’re in a vehicle, pull over to the side (leave the road clear), away from bridges, overpasses and buildings. Stay in your vehicle.

6. If you’re in a crowded public place, take cover and watch that you don’t get trampled. In shopping centres, take cover in the nearest store and keep away from windows, skylights and display shelves of heavy objects.

7. Remain in a protected place until the shaking stops. Anticipate aftershocks… they may occur soon after the first quake.

8. Try to remain calm and help others.

After the earthquake

Preparations for an earthquake also include knowing what to do, and not to do, after the shaking stops… when there is danger from after shocks, fires, falling building materials, debris, etc. Remain calm. You may have to take charge of others. Take care of life-threatening situations first. Remember, you may be on your own for 72 hours or more.

1. Check your home for structural damage and other hazards.

2. Check yourself and others nearby for injuries… administer first aid quickly and carefully.

3. If you are evacuating, locate and take your pack of emergency supplies with you.

4. Use a flashlight to check utilities and do not shut them off unless damaged. Leaking gas will smell. Don’t light matches or turn on light switches… until you are sure there are no gas leaks or flammable liquids.

5. Wear sturdy shoes, gloves and protective clothing if it’s winter and/or if there’s debris, particularly broken glass.

6. Check your neighbors after looking after your own family. Your first help after an earthquake usually will come from family and friends.

7. Confine frightened pets.

8. Don’t flush toilets if you suspect nearby sewer lines are broken.

9. Secure your home against intruders.

10. Turn on your battery-powered radio (or car radio) and listen for broadcast emergency instructions.

11. Don’t use your telephone, except in an extreme (life-threatening) emergency.

12. Stay at least ten metres from downed power lines.

13. Avoid waterfront areas because of the threat of large waves (tsunamis).

Planning for earthquakes will also help prepare you for many other emergencies.

Be prepared, not scared!

[tags]Earthquake,Earthquake Tips,Keeping safe,disaster preparation[/tags]

You may think it is an unlikely event, but as with fires, its is always better to be prepared. An earthquake is not something you can prevent, but if you know what to expect and what do do in the unlikely event that it happens, it can make you feel a little less vulnerable.

1. Know the safe and dangerous places in your home.

Safe: Under heavy tables or desks; inside hallways; corners of rooms or archways.

Dangerous: Near windows or mirrors; under any objects that can fall; the kitchen… where the stove, refrigerator or contents of cupboards may move violently; doorways, because the shaking may slam the door on you. Practice taking cover.

2. Train members of your family to use fire extinguishers.

3. Chech if your home has Earthquake insurance coverage. Get some if if you live in a high-risk area.

4. Plan and practice evacuation.

5. Talk to your children about what to do if they’re at home, at school, if the quake separates your family. Become familiar with the school’s earthquake plan.

6. Plan!
Arrange an out-of-the-area contact. Each family member should carry the contact phone number and address. Have an alternative family rendezvous if you can’t get home.

7. Remind your family to rely on emergency authorities for guidance. Broadcast reports on radio and television will have instructions.

8. Also remind your family members that emergency phone numbers are in the inside cover of the telephone book. But use them only in an extreme emergency. Your telephone may not work after an earthquake, or it may take a while to get a dial tone.

9. Make sure each family member knows how to shut off the utilities gas, electricity and water. (Don’t shut off the gas unless there is a leak or a fire. If the gas is turned off, don’t turn it on again… that must be done by a qualified technician).

10. Your plan should include a list of where emergency supplies and equipment are stored.

[tags]Earthquake,Earthquake Tips,Keeping safe,disaster preparation[/tags]

A couple of weeks ago, there was an earthquake where we live. It was a 5.6 on the Richter Scale and lasted for only about 5 seconds, but it was terrifying still. It was about 10 pm and I was in bed, chatting with my husband who was working on the computer. Suddenly, the bed began to shake, like one of the kids were jumping on it, and our ceiling lamps started swinging - and my husband looked at me with a look of sheer panic on his face. It happened three times that night, but thankfully I was asleep for the last two.

Well, like I said, it was over before we knew it, but awful nontheless. A couple of years ago, there was an even stronger one which lasted for about 30 seconds, which in earthquake time is an eternity. I was pregnant with my son at the time, and I remember grabbing my daughter, who was around 2 then, and running down the stairs to my husband, who was in the study. Luckily, we were all ok, and our house survived as well. But since then, I’ve learned a thing or two about earthquakes: and running down the stairs is something you should NEVER do. Oh dear.

I don’t want to scare you, but earthquakes are happening all over the world, and some hotspot places include Italy, Alaska, British Columbia, California, Indonesia etc - to find out more, go to this Earthquake Locator site) so if you live in an area which may be susceptible, please be PREPARED.

My next post will have some great preparation tips to keep your family SAFE.

[tags]Earthquake,Earthquake Tips,Keeping safe,disaster preparation[/tags]

What is it about colds? One person has it, and then it spreads like wildfire. About the same time my kids got their cold, so did my sister. She believes the culprit was in the playplace she took them to last week, somewhere hidden behind the colourful slides and padded floors. Funny though, as the place makes you put on antibacterial gel before and after playing. Hmmmm…. But now that I think of it, Dr.J (our pedia) told me some time ago that those gels DO NOT work. Well, maybe just a bit, but she advised that ordinary rubbing alcohol did the job (in killing germs) about 100 x better!

Unfortunately, the cold virus hit hmy sister much worse than my kids - and she still has the sniffles today. My kids are now germ-free, thanks to Mom’s Home Remedies (I told you they really work).

Which is why I want to keep them that way (healthy, that is) as we are all going to Thailand soon for a family holiday. So here is something that went into my inbox today care of Baby Center, which couldn’t have come at a more useful time. It agrees with my advocacy of Vitamin C, but also gives some other tips on staying-germ free:

Question: How can I keep from catching my child’s cold?

Answer: “Colds” are upper respiratory infections caused by many different viruses. These viruses can be spread in the air by sneezing or coughing and by contact with infected surfaces. Therefore, good hand washing — with soap and warm water — is always encouraged both for children and adult caretakers.

Wash your hands before preparing or eating food, after changing any diapers, and after using the toilet. And help your toddler wash his hands after using the toilet and before eating. Antibiotic wipes can be used for surfaces children commonly touch. (Some grocery stores now offer antibiotic wipes to clean handles of grocery carts before using the cart.) It also helps to not share cups and utensils with your toddler, especially during “cold” seasons. (You might use disposable cups in your bathrooms.)

Some people promote the use of 500-1000 mg of Vitamin C, as well as echinacea and zinc (check the recommended dosages on the bottles) at the onset of upper respiratory symptoms, to help shorten the length and severity of symptoms; it’s worth a try if you do seem to be catching your toddler’s cold.

[tags]Kids,Germs, Cold Virus, Kids Health[/tags]

The picture above is what my daughter is wearing tonight, and its the exact pic on the packaging of the costume too, which is why I just had to post it! Isn’t it adorable? My toddler boy, by the way, is Thomas the Tank Engine (his idol), which is also too adorable for words.

Anyway, as we all know, tonight is the long awaited Hallow’s Eve, which means, trick or treating!!! As I’ve already posted of safety tips for pets, here’s what we should be aware of for our kids, which I will be explaining to my daughter too. Its never to young to learn to be a responsible Trick-or-Treater!! This one is from a website aptly called Halloween Safety.

1. Children should go out during daylight hours only unless accompanied by a responsible adult.

2. Plan a safe route so parents know where their older kids will be at all times. Set a time for their return home. Make sure that your child is old enough and responsible enough to go out by themselves.

3. Let your children know not to cut through back alleys and fields. Make sure they know to stay in populated places and don’t go off the beaten track. Stay in well lighted areas.

3. Stop only at familiar houses in your own neighborhood unless they are accompanied by an adult.

4. Small children should never be allowed to go out alone on Halloween. Make sure an older sibling or adult is with them.

5. Instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you.

6. Instruct your child to never go into the home of a stranger or get into their car.

7. Make sure your child carries a flashlight, glow stick or has reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to cars.

8. Let them know that they should stay together as a group if going out to Trick or Treat without an adult.

[tags]Halloween, Safety tips,Trick or Treating, Kids safety,Toy Story 2[/tags]

A couple of days ago my kids woke up sneezing, coughing and with very runny noses. As you probably know by now, Halloween is a BIG deal at our house, so it couldn’t have happened at a worse time. And with another big Halloween party happening tomorrow, and trick or treating on Tuesday, the mission was clear - I had to get them better FAST.

So apart from our Pediatrician, Dr.J’s usual measures of regular over-the-counter meds, I have a tried-and-tested arsenal of “alternative” methods which I use on my kids and husband, as well as myself. So at the risk of sounding like a granola-organic Mom (which I am fast becoming), here it is:

Vitamin C - I have found a high-dose pediatric syrup, so when the cold symptoms set in, I give around 500 mg to my 20 month old, and about 1,000 mg to my 4-year-old. The regular ones with lame amounts like 100 mg and are really just sugar, are a waste of time in my book. Don’t be afraid of large amounts of C - it REALLY does work.

Zinc - I give them a multivitamin daily with this anyway, but increase the dosage when they have a cold.

Echinacea - The drops I have have both echinacea and goldenseal, which I give 3x a day.

Honey Turmeric - This is my Mom’s remedy for a cough. My kids have gotten used to the taste and now ask for it when they feel a cough on them. Its basically 1/2 tsp each of ground cinnamon and ground turmeric, mixed in a tablespoon of virgin honey (use the runny kind for easy swallowing). For adults, a raw garlic clove, chopped and heated for 10 seconds in a pan, should be added in. This is a really potent antibiotic and should be taken 2-3x a day. If I do the garlic bit I give some to my husband too and vice versa. You get the idea.

Bioplasma - These homeopathic tissue salts are just amazing. My Aunt’s homeopath highly recommended this, saying we could even take it everyday (ill or not) for optimum good health. And when its for a cold or other malaise, you can take it every 15 minutes for acute conditions and it will NEVER cause an overdose. He even said it would be good for our 10 year old Basset Hound….so, now my kids are taking it every hour.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Bioplasma “….is a combination of all 12 of Schuessler’s Cell Salts“…whatever that is. I’m a big fan of Homeopathic remedies, which gives me an idea that I should post more about that…. But anyway, I’m crossing my fingers now….

[tags]kids colds,kids health,homeopathic remedies kids,alternative health,echinacea,halloween[/tags]