Cacao For You

Welcome to the Healthy Montgomery County Children blog. This site is for Montgomery County parents who are concerned about the health of MD children. Today’s article looks at fitness video games.

If your child would rather exercise their thumb on a gaming console than shoot some hoops or kick a soccer ball, they might enjoy Wii, Playstation, and Xbox games that require them to move their body to play the game. If players enjoy the game, they will probably not mind (or notice) sweating a little bit.

Of course, you will need the necessary accessories to play these fitness games. Your nearest Montgomery County Target, Wal-Mart or Best Buy probably has everything you need for your gaming system.

I perused the internet to see which games came up on game review sites. The following are bestsellers:

EA Sports Active
Punch-Out!
Dance Dance Revolution
Gold’s Gym Cardio and Dance Workout
Kinect Sports Review
Nickelodeon Fit
Wii Fit

By providing a variety of exercise choices for our Montgomery County children, we can encourage them to get some exercise every day. (You may also enjoy playing them with your child, but be prepared to lose.)

For info on a children’s health product, call me at 703-283-5459. Thanks for visiting!

Silver Spring parents know that reading with children is essential to their academic success and development, but not all storybook sessions are as productive as others in building literacy skills. Baltimore, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County parents don’t need to worry, because a few simple guidelines can help your kids get the most from story time.

Instead of zooming through one picture book after another, take time to pause and allow your child to process the story.

Ask questions like, ‘What do you think will happen next?’ or ‘How did that make [the main character] feel?’ Enjoy the artwork and see what your child can infer from the pictures.

Beginning readers can point to each word as you read together. This will help them recognize that letters make up words and words make up sentences and they will get used to punctuation conventions.

Washington, DC parents may have to work to curb their boredom since kids love repetition and may ask for the same book over and over again. This is normal and healthy for younger kids, but if you have any concerns about their development, you should consult your Silver Spring pediatrician.

As kids get older you can ask more probing questions such as, ‘What was the most interesting part of the book?’ or ‘What is the setting of the story?’ There are also great opportunities for discussions about problems and solutions as well as themes and morals in almost all stories.

I’m Shannon Smith and children’s health and development is very important to me. I am the owner of a Silver Spring home business that sells X Power Square. If you are interested in learning more, visit my website at http://www.cacaoforyou.com or give me a call at 703-283-5459.

If your Washington, DC kids are active on the field, the court, or in your own backyard, chances are you have dealt with many bumps, bruises, and sprains. Prompt medical care can make all the difference when it comes to how quickly an injury heals.

Despite medical advancements, when it comes to a sprain, strain, break, or bruise, the best way to reduce pain and swelling is the same as when you were a kid: apply ice.

For the best DIY ice bag, fill a zip-top bag with ice cubes or crushed ice and a little water. The liquid will help the bag conform to the body and distribute the cold evenly. You can also use the frozen peas trick, which does essentially the same thing.

Don’t apply the bag to bare skin, however. This could cause frostbite or even a burn. Wrap the pack in a thin towel or article of clothing.

Don’t take the ice off too soon. Removing it after just a few minutes, when the skin is cold to the touch, won’t have a lasting effect. Leave ice on the injury until the area goes numb, but not more than 20 minutes. Repeat this once an hour for up to four hours.

Remember to get the ice on as soon as possible. Preventing and reducing inflammation speeds up the healing process. The sooner you get ice on it, the sooner your Washington, DC child will be back in action.

For more information on children’s health, or to learn about X Power Square, a nutritious snack, contact me today!

Shannon Smith, business owner
http://www.cacaoforyou.com
703-283-5459
cacaoforyou@gmail.com

Smart residents prepare for emergencies, and parents of young children in the Washington, DC area should be aware of the special nature of preparing their families for emergencies.

Since the health and safety of all family members is important, everyone’s needs should be taken into account when preparing emergency provisions.

A 72-hour emergency kit should be easy to grab and contain essentials like water, food, first aid kit, flashlight, prescription medications, etc. Silver Spring families should consider what each child eats. Formula and bottles should be included if you have infants, and soft baby food (and a spoon!) for toddlers. Don’t forget diapers and baby wipes: you can find convenient travel sizes of these at Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Baltimore area drugstores.

Since healthy kids grow and change so quickly, Silver Spring families should update these emergency kits at least twice a year. A good reminder is daylight savings time. When Washington, DC families change their clocks, they should change the food and supplies in their kits.

I’m Shannon Smith and the health and safety of Silver Spring kids is important to me. I am the owner of a home business that sells X Power Square. If you would like to learn more, please call me at 703-283-5459 or visit me on the web at http://www.cacaoforyou.com.

Hi! Welcome to my Silver Spring children’s health blog. Today’s topic is ‘Healthy Skin for Silver Spring Children.’

The skin is the body’s largest organ, and it’s easy to take for granted all that our skin does for us. It is our first defense against germs, it regulates body temperature, it gives us the sense of touch, and so much more. This organ is always hard at work and parents in the Washington, DC area need to be sure it’s working well for their children.

A common skin problem in our MD climate is simple irritation. Irritated skin is more likely to crack, which can increase the risk for infection. If your child’s skin is irritated, look around at some of the products in your home that may be causing it. Soaps, detergents, dryer sheets, and other household cleaners all have chemicals and fragrances that can be irritating. Silver Spring parents can try switching brands or reducing use of these products.

Basic skin care for children should include moisturizing after bathing, using fragrance-free products, and practicing good sun protection. If dry skin is an issue for your child, pick up a humidifier at any Baltimore, Prince George’s County, or Montgomery County drugstore and allow it to run in your child’s room while they sleep.

If simple skin irritation can’t be controlled, or if your child develops other skin issues, make sure to take them to your Silver Spring pediatrician.

My name is Shannon Smith and I want to help Silver Spring families raise healthy, happy kids. My Washington, DC home business sells X Power Square. If you are interested in learning more, visit my website at http://www.cacaoforyou.com or give me a call at 703-283-5459.

Hello Silver Spring parents and kids. Welcome to my ‘Healthy Silver Spring Kids‘ blog. I am passionate about children’s health. I want my children and your children to develop healthy habits while they are young. I hope we can help the youth of today reverse negative health trends and grow up healthier than their parents’ generation.

In our lifetimes we have learned so much about how nutrition, environmental factors, and daily habits influence our health and well-being here in MD. Let’s help our Montgomery County and Prince George’s County children avoid the chronic conditions that plague the baby boomer generation. That is my goal and I hope this blog will play a part in improving health for Silver Spring children and their counterparts everywhere. My ‘Healthy Silver Spring Kids’ blog will post timely information about a broad range of children’s health-related topics.

• Diet and Nutrition
• Exercise and Recreation
• Healthy Sleep Habits
• Cancer Risks
• Mental Health
• Environmental Factors
• Alternative and Holistic Healthcare

Healthy habits start at home. I encourage you to examine your own lifestyle and identify areas that you could improve. By setting good examples for our Washington, DC children we will enjoy better health ourselves and perhaps even add some extra years.

Thanks for reading! I hope you will check back often as I plan to post new articles regularly. Here’s to your Silver Spring family’s healthy future!

business owner Shannon Smith
Silver Spring, MD 20906
703-283-5459
cacaoforyou@gmail.com
Xobiotic
X Power Square