All About Fiber!

November 1, 2023

Fiber is an important nutrient that most children (and parents) are not getting enough of each day. As parents, you do your best to feed your family healthy foods, but you may need help with choosing good sources of fiber.

There are different fiber recommendations for children based on energy needs, age, or weight.

Eat 5: A simple way to make sure your children are getting enough fiber is by making healthful food choices. If your children are eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day along with other foods that are good sources of fiber, there is really no need to count fiber grams

Add 5: If you find it helpful to keep track of numbers, add 5 to your children’s age. For example, a 5-year-old would need about 10 grams of fiber each day.

Note that the total daily recommended amount of up to 25 grams for adults can be used as a general guideline for children.

Fiber helps make us full and keeps things moving in the digestive tract. A diet that includes good sources of fiber may help prevent constipation. These foods also are good sources of nutrients and vitamins that may help reduce the risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, and obesity.

Good sources of fiber include vegetables, fruit, beans, peas, nuts, fiber-rich whole-grain breads and cereals.

Nutrition labels can help you choose foods that provide the nutrition that’s right for you, including fiber. Dietary fiber is a nutrient listed under “Total Carbohydrate” on nutrition labels.

Excellent sources of fiber have 5 or more grams of fiber per serving. Good sources of fiber have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.

Say Bye to Benadryl

August 21, 2023

‌I’m here to tell you as a Pediatrician to stop living like you’re in the 1940’s and to stop using Benadryl for everything related to allergies or allergic reactions.

‌Antihistamines work by counteracting histamine throughout the body.

‌Benadryl is an older, 1st generation antihistamine. First generation antihistamines are not very selective, so they can affect other pathways in the body that can lead to side effects to include drowsiness, hyperactivity in 10 to 15% of kids, agitation, hallucinations, and rarely, but still possibly, seizures and death.

‌Newer, or 2nd generation antihistamines like Zyrtec, Claritin, Allegra, and Xyzal have similar onset of action, last longer, and have less side effects (most notably less sedation) because they are more selective for histamine receptors.

‌Especially in scenarios where you’re concerned about anaphylactic reactions, for example to insect bites or foods, you don’t want to cloud the picture by giving a child a medication that may induce drowsiness leading to an inappropriate diagnosis of anaphylaxis.

‌In summary, Please, please, please stop using Benadryl for all things related to allergies and allergic reactions. There are better options that don’t lead to concerning side effects. Epinephrine is the only validated treatment for anaphylactic reactions!

SUN PROTECTION 101

September 1, 2023

It’s estimated that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Don’t let cloudy days fool you! Up to 80 percent of UVA/UVB rays can penetrate our skin even during overcast days.

The most important to consider when choosing sun protection for your family are an SPF of 30 or higher, water resistance, and broad-spectrum protection meaning that it protects against UVA and UVB rays.

My family keeps 3 types of sun protection in our bag.

The first is a cream we use for our body. I love physical sunblocks that reflect the sun’s harmful rays instead of absorbing and dispersing radiation like chemical sunscreens. Look for options that use titanium dioxide or zinc oxide which block the sun’s damaging rays.

We use a stick formulation of sunblock for our face which is easier to use for squirmy children who don’t like having a cream rubbed into their face.

The last form is a mineral spray to protect vulnerable scalp. This is a great option for those kids who don’t like wearing hats consistently.

Closing thoughts followed by some tips!

– Limit sun exposure between the hours of 10am and 2pm when the sun’s rays are more direct.
– Reapply every 2 hours or after swimming.
– Use clothing barriers like hats, long sleeves, pants with broad-spectrum protection when you can!

Warm up physical sunscreens in your hands and pat onto skin for an even layer that helps avoid the white cast that is common. Allow 15 minutes for the product to settle onto your skin.

Apply sunscreen to the tops of your feet, neck, ears, and the top of your head. Don’t forget your lips! Apply a lip balm containing sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

We can all have fun in the sun while doing our best to protect our skin!