May 2010

Many Infant and Children's Medicines part of McNeil Product Recall

McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., in consultation with the FDA, is voluntarily recalling all lots that have not yet expired of certain over-the-counter (OTC) Children’s and Infants’ liquid products manufactured in the United States because some of these products may not meet required quality standards.

Well Read: Books on Trains

Trains taught my son his colors, his numbers, and his love of all things mechanical. To top it off, National Train Day is May 8. In honor of the occasion, start your child off with two classics: Trains (by Byron Barton) and Freight Train (by Donald Crews). If you see signs of interest, feed the passion with these titles!

Julie Hubble

Dear Teacher: Tips to Avoid Homework Battles

Tips to avoid homework battles with your children and on how to motivate preschoolers.

Peggy Gisler and Marge Eberts

How Parents can Aid Kids’ Speech and Hearing

The development of communication skills begins in infancy before the emergence of the first word. Recent statistics, from the American Speech – Language Hearing Association (ASHA) as provided by Pediatric Therapy Associates, York, revealed more than 6,068,802 children between the ages of 3-21 years have speech and language disabilities. Here's what parents can do to help:

Mod Mama: Traveling in Style

Stylish tips for moms on how to prep for a summer trip.

Mary Michelle Little

Childhood Obsessions

In my house, it’s sharks and airplanes. In others, it’s all about princesses and kittens. It’s probably around this time (or maybe even earlier) that your child will develop an obsession with something. Dinosaurs, pirates, puppies and even numbers can be kid faves. But when should you be worried that your child’s obsession with something is a bit out of control?

Gift Ideas for Grads

If you’re a parent of a soon-to-be high school graduate, you’re probably wondering what token you should get him or her to celebrate the occasion. We’ve got some great gift ideas.

Musings from the Maternity Ward

Each day, approximately 11,300 babies are born in the United States. The majority of the births take place in hospitals, leaving nurses, nurse midwives and doctors with a never-ending supply of funny, sweet and bizarre memories. In an effort to find out what happens behind the closed doors and curtains of the obstetrics ward, we asked some of Central Pennsylvania’s finest medical personnel to share their maternity moments. These are their stories.

Angelique Caffrey

2010 Mother's Day Essays: The Winner and Runner-Up

Read our top three essays in our Central Penn Parent Magazine Mother's Day Essay Contest for 2010.

Parting Glance May 2010: Just Like You, Mommy

My daughter stands in the doorway between the living room and kitchen and calls out, “I’m cooking, too. I have my own kitchen, just like your kitchen.” She goes to play and returns to proclaim, “I’m making pizza, just like you.” These days everything is “just like you” and Sophia’s highest aspiration is to be a mommy.

Kelly Chripczuck

Free Skin Cancer Checks Offered

The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Road to Healthy Skin Tour presented by AVEENO and Rite Aid will be stopping by Rite Aid stores in Lancaster and Camp Hill in the Tour’s 38-foot customized RV to offer free full body skin cancer screenings and the latest skin cancer information to the public.

Kids Might Laugh, but Parents will Suffer Through Furry Vengeance

When Dan Sanders gets a job heading up a housing development, he moves his wife and son to the Oregon wilderness to do just that. He doesn’t count on the local woodland creatures rising up and staging a major protest.

Jane Louise Boursaw

Iron Man 2 a Fun Film

I loved the first ‘Iron Man’ movie, so I was really looking forward to seeing what they did with ‘Iron Man 2.’ I wouldn’t say it’s as good as the first one, but it’s still a really fun ride, and it’s great to see Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark again.

Jane Louise Boursaw

Special showing of Shrek for autistic children and families

AMC Entertainment and the Autism Society are teaming up to bring families of autistic children an opportunity to watch films in an environment custom-made for them. The program, called “Sensory Friendly Films” will kick off this Saturday, May 22, at AMC Colonial Commons 9 in Harrisburg with a special showing of Shrek Forever After at 10am.

Shrek Still Fresh

By the time a popular franchise gets to the fourth movie, you kind of expect that it’ll start to fizzle out. That’s not the case with ‘Shrek Forever After.’ This movie not only gives a nod to the things we loved about the earlier movies, but it also moves the story forward in a believable way.

Jane Louise Boursaw

Many Pools Ruled Unsafe

A new government found that many public pools open to swimmers should not be due to the presence of disease-causing germs.

From HealthDay News

Over 35? Trying to get Pregnant?

Moving through your mid-30s and pondering motherhood? You're not alone. More and more American women are postponing having children. Here's how to improve your chances at having a safe pregnancy, and a healthy baby.

From Lancaster General Health

Got Milk? Mustache Campaign Coming to Hershey

The National Milk Mustache “got milk?” Campaign will roll into Hershey’s Chocolate World May 28 from 11am to 2pm and offer lots of free and fun activities.

Family Kitchen: Chicken Kabobs

In April, we asked readers for their favorite Barbeque Grill recipes. The winning entry comes from Cindy King of Mechanicsburg. Her Chicken Kabobs sound delicious. As our winner, Cindy will receive the Electric Snow Cone Maker. So fire up the grill and get cookin’!

Is there an advantage to using antibacterial soap?

This is interesting because H1N1 is not a bacterial infection. It’s a virus, so antibacterial soap is incapable of protecting against it. Antibacterial soap and gels can’t prevent a virus, a cold, a sore throat or the flu.

Acne Facts and Fiction

Some of what our parents told us about acne was correct. Some wasn’t. To help today’s parents help their children, we explain the facts and debunk some myths below:

Tom Haring

Pacifier Pros and Cons

Like almost everything baby-related, there seems to be no consensus regarding pacifiers. Other parents, health care workers, child care providers and relatives offer advice, but they all say different things.

Tom Haring

Summer is Perfect for Starting Chores

School’s out and the homework is done. What better time to enlist your pre-teen in helping out with some chores? But what’s appropriate for a child at this age? Don’t worry. There’s a lot kids can lend a hand to. Try one (or more if you can get away with it) of these ideas:

Plain Jane: How to Make Mom-Friends: The Secrets Revealed

Why is it so hard to make friends with other mothers? I couldn’t figure it out. So I decided to do some research. For the last year, I have made it my personal mission to make mom-friends. In hindsight, I should have focused on something easier… like finding proof that Unicorns exist. But I held tough and uncovered a few surprising secrets about befriending child-bearers. Here’s what no one will tell you:

Jane Suter

The Lurking Dangers of Infant Allergies

Mothers of newborns have plenty on their minds when it comes to caring for their child, and with so many things to think about, many succumb to the high levels of stress and anxiety that accompany the birth of a new baby. Unfortunately, a new worry has recently been added to that growing list: the increasing trend toward infant allergies.

Lynn Gladieux

Parent Dos and Don'ts for a Successful Summer at Day or Overnight Camp

When your children go to camp this summer, will you really let them go? Camp directors see “kid-sick” parents far more than homesick campers, says Bob Ditter, a licensed therapist who specializes in summer camp and consults for the American Camp Association (ACA) and other youth development agencies.

Ellen Warren

Grilled Fish Tacos with Chipotle-Lime Dressing

Grilled fish tacos have a creamy dressing spiked with lime juice, cumin, chili powder and adobo sauce from zesty chipotle peppers. Garnished with tomatoes, cilantro, shredded cabbage and lime wedges.

Strawberries 'n' Cream Trifle

A lightened recipe that uses less milk, reduced-fat whipped topping and angel food cake instead of pound cake. It's good made with fresh peaches or blueberries, too.

www.allrecipes.com

Love trains? Check this out.

In recognition of National Tourism and Travel Week May 8-16, four top Pa tourist destinations are celebrating America’s love of travel by inviting 50 travelers to visit – for FREE!

Chocolate Milk Pancakes

A combination of two things kids love: chocolate milk and pancakes. Serve up this easy and fun recipe on a weekend morning after sleeping in!

Mom's Big Book of Baking, www.cooking.com

Temple Grandin to speak at Zembo Shrine in Harrisburg

Temple Grandin, renowned author and animal behaviorist, will speak at the Zembo Shrine in Harrisburg this Sunday. Grandin’s life was portrayed by actress Claire Danes in the HBO movie “Temple Grandin” and she will speak about her experiences growing up with autism in the 1950s, a diagnosis that usually equaled institutionalism at the time.

Mango-Strawberry Salsa

A refreshing summer salsa for those who want something not so spicy. Extremely easy and very flavorful.

www.allrecipes.com

Keep Baby's Crib Safe

When used properly, a crib is the safest sleeping environment for your baby. Make sure to take note of these safety tips from JPMA - The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association - to keep it that way.

The Facts on Foster Care

May is National Foster Care month. For those who have not been touched by a foster care child, it’s hard to grasp just how many are affected by the issue. Here are some facts from www.fostercaremonth.org to consider...

Medicines to Avoid for Moms-to-be

Are you pregnant or planning to be? You should talk to your doctor about medications. Once you’re pregnant, what you can take, whether it’s over-the-counter or prescribed, is more limited.

Family Finance: Your Guide to Refinancing

Money is tight as families everywhere work toward financial security after a rough couple of years. With interest rates low, many people are contemplating refinancing their homes. Since a home is probably the biggest investment you will ever make, it is important to know some basic information.

Tom Haring