Pediatricians are warning parents about an alarming rate of soda can ‘stay tabs’ being swallowed by children.  While there was a replacement due to kids removing the older version and putting them in their soda as to not litter, it seems that the new version isn’t much safer.

A scarier statistic, according to the New York Times, is that only one in four tabs are seen upon examination by an x-ray.  This incredibly small stat could be due to the tab being hidden by anything from positioning to many other things.

If you do give your child a can with the tab, encourage the use of a cup.  If you pack one in a lunch, include a cup and make sure it is being used.  While this does pose a few new issues, including even more washing and other potential complications.  It does save a trip to the emergency room, which is where many of these same cases wind up.

While there could be no potential issues, a child may present anything from nausea to stomachaches in the case where they may have swallowed a pull tab.

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I’ve been sick for the past few days and I really hate it. Everytime I have colds I easily get irritated (who doesn’t?), so what more with your little one? I know that everytime your child gets sick, you get so paranoid. Initial reaction would be bringing her to the hospital and going to your pediatrician. But the next time your child encounters a minor ache or injury, home remedies are often the best way to make her feel better. I love home remedies because basically you spend less and you can find all these smart solutions throughout your house.

• Sore throat – According to Lane Johnson, MD, associate professor of clinical family and community medicine at the University of Arizona college, a spoonful of Honey eased your child’s cough. Actually they found out that it’s better than a cough medicine. This home remedy is not applicable for babies under 1 year.
• Bug bites – You can use baking soda to lessen the itchy feeling that your child is complaining about. Just mix baking soda and enough water to make a thick paste and smear it on the bites and let it dry.
• Stress – Oh yes, your child can feel stress too! So for her to be able to relax and breathe properly, allow her to slowly, blow long bubbles from a soapy wand.
• Tummy problems (Vomiting)-  Ginger stops the stomach contractions. Boil the ginger and then let it steep for 4 to 5 minutes. You can add honey to make it taste better. Let your child drink it 1 hour before your car trip.
• Minor Swelling – You can use a cold slice of cucumber to soothe hot swollen skin.You can use this if there’s a minor swelling only other than that, go to your pediatrician.

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The parenting column in the New York Times today discusses the problem of kids and stealing.  Is it a normal phase kids go through, o r does it presage issues of character or behavior that parents need to worry about?  I remember being about 5 years old and seeing a candy bar that had fallen underneath the display case in the grocery store.  I somehow got it into my head that those fallen candy bars were free, so I took it.  Of course, a few minutes later, when my mom found out, I was marched back into the store, and made to tell the manager what I had done and to give the candy bar back.  The thing was, I didn’t think I was stealing, I just thought those were free candy bars.

Apparently that sort of thing is pretty normal, according to pediatrician Perri Klass’s article.  Different things are going on with kids at different ages, though.  For a toddler, boundaries have to come from the outside, because they aren’t able to set them on the inside.  A toddler’s entire thought process is “I see it, I want it, I take it, it’s mine.”  Toddlers have to be taught–patiently and consistently–that not everything they see or want is theirs.

Klass then goes on to talk about kids who are a little older–old enough to know that what they’re doing is wrong and to try to cover it up by lying or hiding.  These kids are testing, she says.  They want to be caught.  They need to be caught.  She quotes Dr. Barbara  Howard of Johns Hopkins, who says, “Kids are trying to find out what happens if you get caught, and one of the biggest problems is if you don’t catch them. They’re trying to find out what the rules are, and if nobody catches them and says, ‘That’s wrong, you have to give that back or pay for it,’ they don’t get a sense of being properly supervised.”

So if stealing is a fairly normal developmental phase, are there times when parents should be concerned about stealing?  Yes.  When a child is stealing as a means of acting out, he may need help dealing with the underlying issue.  Stealing something of a sibling’s or classmate’s could indicate self-esteem problems or underlying resentments that must be addressed.  In those cases, stealing is only a symptom.

For the most part, stealing needs to be dealt with gently but firmly, with boundaries set and reiterated and consequences immediate and consistent.  But pay close attention; if your child needs extra help dealing with some kind of emotional problem, it’s your job to notice that, too.

In an effort to help moms tortured by the woes of pumping breast milk, Easy Expression Products (http://www.easyexpressionproducts.com) just gave birth to a new partnership with A Pea in the Pod/Destination Maternity. The national maternity stores now carry The Easy Expression Hands-Free Pumping Bra.

When you’re a new mother, every minute is precious. The Hands-Free Pumping Bra gives you the gift of time. It’s not a nursing bra. It holds the pump flanges in place so you don’t have to. That frees your hands to do other things, like tend to your baby, answer emails, or even finish chores.

The Easy Expression Hands-Free Pumping Bra was just featured on ABC News. Pediatrician Dr. Alanna Levine said The Bra was “my lifesaver,” and ABC News Anchor Tanya Rivero said, “This would have changed my life” when talking about the Easy Expression bustier.

You can view the video here.