By Dr. Cara Natterson for Sniffle Solutions

Headache pain in the neck and forehead can be attributed to a variety of factors. A common trigger is allergies, which are usually accompanied by itchy, watery eyes and a runny nose with clear mucus. When you have an allergic reaction, your body releases histamines, which kick up mucus production. That’s why your nose runs and your eyes get watery. It’s also why fluid collects in places it wouldn’t normally, like your sinuses, causing pressure, which can lead to a headache. Antihistamines and nasal irrigation systems like neti pots are generally the go-to treatments for headaches related to allergies.

Your son’s headache pain might also indicate a sinus infection, which could be caused by a cold as well as allergies. Sinus infection symptoms often include a runny nose with greenish mucus, pain with a tap on the cheek or forehead, and sometimes fever. Once you get a sinus infection, you typically have to treat it with antibiotics in addition to treating whatever caused it, though nasal irrigation systems can sometimes clear up an infection without medication.

Headaches can be caused by a host of other things as well, like a toothache or even poor vision. Parents often don’t think to ask whether their child can make out details on the chalkboard or movie screen, because they don’t realize that kids who need glasses often complain of headache pain due to eye fatigue.

Without an examination, it’s
difficult to say for sure what’s causing your son’s headache pain. See his
primary health care provider, who can figure out exactly what’s wrong and treat
it accordingly.

Sniffle Solutions: Care & Comfort

Prevent — and Treat — Summer Rashes

By Madonna Behen for Sniffle Solutions

Protecting a young child’s delicate skin is a year-round responsibility for parents, but it’s especially important in the summer months, when so much skin is uncovered and vulnerable to a host of warm-weather rash inducers. “There are definitely some types of skin rashes that we see a lot more of in the summer months, like sunburn and insect bites and stings,” says Dr. Kelly McClean, a dermatologist for adults and children at the University of Michigan Health System, in Ann Arbor.

Below, McClean and Dr. Brandie Metz (assistant clinical professor of dermatology and pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine) recommend ways to prevent and treat the most common summer rashes:

Sunburn
Prevent it: Proper sun protection techniques are important not just because they’ll keep your little one from getting a red, painful burn, says McClean. “We know that ultraviolet radiation increases the risk for skin cancers later in life, and it can also accelerate photoaging of the skin.”

The first line of defense should be covering up: Wear a hat and sun-protective clothing, stay in the shade as much as possible and wear sunglasses to protect the eyes. Kids need a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. The best time to slather it on is before you leave the house. “Once you get to the pool or beach, kids are excited about getting into the water or playing in the sand, and they’re less likely to stand still,” says McClean.

Even if your child always tans and never burns, that’s no excuse not to take sun protection seriously, adds McClean. “Parents have this misconception that a tan is safe, but what a tan means is that the skin has been damaged by the sun as well.” And if you’re cutting back on sunscreen because you’re concerned about vitamin D deficiencies, think again, says Metz. “Using sunscreen isn’t going to lead to a vitamin D deficiency. Most people reach their maximum production of vitamin D after only about five minutes in the sun,” she says.

Treat it: To treat sunburn, use cool compresses to bring down the temperature of the skin, or have your child take a cool bath. Avoid products with an anesthetic, “basically anything that ends in ‘caine,’ because that will just further irritate the skin,” says Metz. Any blistering burn requires a doctor’s attention.

Insect Bites
Prevent it: The most effective insect repellants contain the chemical DEET — but be sure the products you use on kids contain no more than 10 percent. “The best approach is to spray the repellant on the clothing rather than on skin,” says Metz. Stay away from products that combine DEET and sunscreen. “Sunscreen needs to be reapplied frequently, and DEET does not,” she says. But when you use products that contain both, “you end up putting on too much insect repellant or not enough sunscreen.”

Treat it: Treat itchy bug bites with an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion.

Poison Ivy
Prevent it: You know that old saying, “Leaves of three, leave them be?” Turns out not all plants that cause an itchy rash have three leaves, says Metz. “Poison sumac can have seven or more leaves, so you really need to learn to recognize all the poisonous plants.”

The best prevention is to wear long pants and long sleeves during hikes. Also be aware that your child doesn’t have to touch the plant directly to come in contact with the plant oils. “If your pets run around in the woods, they can have the oil on their fur and kids can get it by touching the pet,” says McClean. But it’s a myth that rash can spread from person to person: Once the oil from the plant has been washed off the skin, you’re no longer contagious.

Treat it: For rashes from poison ivy and other similar plants, Metz usually recommends OTC hydrocortisone cream as well as an oral antihistamine.

Heat Rash
Prevent it: First-time moms often make the mistake of bundling up newborns too much in the warmer months. “Sweat ducts get clogged up and red bumps appear, especially in the skin folds,” says McClean.

To prevent heat rash, make sure you dress your baby in layers so you can easily remove unneeded clothing.

Treat it: The rash usually disappears soon after you cool down the skin by removing excess clothing and blankets. “Never put a cream or ointment on a heat rash,” says Metz, “because that will just further clog the pores and make the rash worse.”

By Julie Smart for Ideas That Spark

What can we say, when you get kids motivated to clean, if nothing else...they're FAST!

Here are my top four tips on getting — and keeping — your house super-clean without much effort.

1. Have a basket contest.
Are you playrooms and bedrooms messy and completely disorganized? Give each of your children a basket and have a contest to see who can get the most items in the basket in two minutes. Reward the winning child with a small prize.

2. Sing, dance and clean.
Put on a sing-along, and have everyone sing and dance while cleaning. For young children, try the Barney cleanup song: It’s fun and short enough for a young child to learn.

3. Reward donations.
When children clean out a toy box or room, it may be hard to get them to depart with things they don’t really need. Set a number of items for them to get rid of, and reward them for donating a certain amount. It teaches them to depart with items they don’t really use, and it cuts down on clutter.

4. Give a child a spray bottle.
This tip worked great for my own kids, since every child wanted to help and not feel left out: For children that are too young to help with cleaning, give them each a clean paper towel and small spray bottle filled with water. Ask them to help you by cleaning the refrigerator door or something in the area that you are currently in.

I recommend buying a new, empty bottle that didn’t previously have cleaner in it in case your children spray it in their eyes or mouth. When you’re done, children can put away their “special” spray bottle of cleaner until next time.

Julie Smart is the mother of five wonderful children and a blogger at
couponsavingfamily.com

Copyright © 2010 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.

I have to spread the word for those of you who may be in the market for a furry family friend for your home. We have a friend that took in a very starved cat who they responsibly cared for through multiple vet visits to affirm it’s health and condition. After a clean bill of health, she took her newfound friend back to the vet to have it spayed only to find out that her emaciated cat was going to be a momma! She took the cat home and several days later, had a healthy litter of four kittens mewing in her home! She has been torn between keeping them but unfortunately, she is unable to accommodate so many animals in her home (she already has a dog and now two cats). She is looking for homes for these four cuddly little furballs and has asked us to help her get the word out to those who might be looking for a good family pet.

The momma cat is very docile, excellent with families (kid-tested, mother-approved!) and has passed those gentle traits onto her offspring. The kittens are very calm for being so young and very gentle with kids (my two-nine year olds all attest to that!). These friendly kittens have little fear of dogs and are nearly litterbox trained. They are currently eating solid foods while still occasionally nursing from their momma and are about 7 weeks old.

We have included some pictures of these little cuties and if you or someone you know is looking for a new family companion, we hope you will contact us at info@mytimecalendars.com with the subject of “kittens”. We would love for these good-natured kitties to go to good families.

Sniffle Solutions: Expert Q+A

How much sleep should my kids get each night? They often seem overtired, and I worry they are more vulnerable to illness.

By Renee Martin for Sniffle Solutions

Sleep deprivation takes a toll on the immune system.

You’re right to be worried, because sleep deprivation does take a toll on the immune system. Getting adequate rest is important all the time, but it’s especially crucial during cold and flu season.

You may be surprised at just how much sleep your little ones need per night, because it’s often much more than adults typically get. The American Academy of Pediatrics makes the following recommendations for sleep requirements by age:

• Newborns: 10.5 to 18 hours per day
• Infants: 9 to 12 hours at night, plus one to four naps (30 minutes or more each)
• Toddlers: 12 to 14 hours per day
• Preschoolers: 11 to 13 hours per day
• School-aged children: 10 to 11 hours per day
• Tweens and teens: 8.5 to 9.25 hours per day

My daughter almost always gets sick after we return home from a trip on an airplane. Is there anything I can do to keep her healthy?

By Dr. Roy Benaroch for Sniffle Solutions

Many cold and flu viruses are transmitted when you touch surfaces. And when you’re on an airplane, you’re touching armrests and tray tables that may not be very clean. Since so many people are touching the same surfaces, it’s all too easy to pick up germs on your hands.

So always have your child wash hands thoroughly before and after using the bathroom on a plane. And when you can’t get access to a sink and soap, use a hand sanitizer that has at least 60 percent alcohol. If you’re worried about the drying effects of alcohol, use a hand sanitizer that has added moisturizers, like aloe.

And since the air on planes is so dry and uncomfortable, you might also want to bring along some saline nasal spray, which you can use to help keep both yours and your daughter’s nasal passages well moisturized.

It’s also important to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water — that goes for you and your daughter.

Finally, try to avoid sick people when possible. If you’re sitting next to someone who’s coughing and sniffling and the flight is not full, speak up and politely ask a flight attendant if you can move to different seats.