6 Things Children Learn In Dance Class That Aren't Dancing

When I was young I used to love my ballet lessons.  It was a discipline I learned and studied up until the age of 16 and I honestly believe the effects it had on my posture and shape have lasted till today.

No wonder then that ballet is undergoing a sort of renaissance, particularly among older dancers and barre work-outs are springing up all over the country.

Credit: Ian Cook, IJC Sports Photography

Caitlin is currently studying for her Grade 3 Royal Academy of Dance and adores her ballet, not least because she has a kind and patient teacher, Mrs Nicola Peros, who really wills her pupils to succeed. 

There's no doubt that girls love the dance-wear, the ribbons, the shoes and the tutus but leading dancewear provider, Dancewear Central has uncovered that there’s so much more to dance classes than meets the eye!

On the surface, all parents may see is writing endless cheques, taxiing to and from lessons several times a week, buying shoes and leotards, and sewing costumes. But the reality is that children get so much more from attending dance lessons than the technical skills, so parents are getting far more value for money than they initially think!

With this in mind, Dancewear Central spoke to dance experts across the country to discover the biggest benefits of dancing, and why there’s more to classes than meets the eye.

1. Patience

Children aren’t the most patient creatures in the world – any parent can attest to that. And the younger they are the less patient they seem to be! Throw an exciting dance class into the mix – where they get to run around and burn off that excess energy – and it suddenly becomes harder to keep them still.

Dancers, both professional and amateur, constantly have to wait their turn, whether they’re moving across a stage, free-styling or demonstrating an individual move. Knowing when it’s your turn to move and then to be still and quiet while another has their go is a skill we use long into adulthood.

The sooner children learn when to take their turn, the sooner they’ll learn to interact better with others. Conflicts will be reduced and their social skills will blossom.

2. Confidence

As children learn to dance, hone their technique and take a performance from start to finish, their confidence grows. Add that to gaining a better sense of their bodies and feeling more comfortable in their own skin, and their self-esteem will skyrocket. They’ll learn how to express themselves, which is really what dancing is all about, and it’s what separates it from other physical activities. It gives kids a physical outlet for their emotions, a place to be themselves, and they’re encouraged to be proud of that.

Says Nicola Peros, principal at Nicola Peros Ballet "The first thing that children experience when they start ballet is bravery. They aren't always with friends and they don't know the teacher.

They learn discipline, they are guided and encouraged to learn the steps which give them skills and confidence. They gain a sense of self-confidence and pride in their bodies and what they can accomplish.

They learn how to work to get what they want out of their performances."

Johanna Hadley, teacher at Janet Lomas School of Dancing, says that increased confidence through dance is something children will take with them into later life:

“I myself have seen students who were once shy and withdrawn grow in confidence – in later years they have blossomed into beautiful dancers, happy and willing to perform in front of large audiences.

“A student who has regularly walked into a dance examination room or performed on stage will be unfazed by the university admissions process, job interviews and public speaking. Dance teaches the ability to present oneself in an assured and professional manner, and the weekly attendance of these classes demonstrates both dedication and commitment.”

Capezio Cross Over Top

3. The way the body works

Kids are curious creatures, and they love to learn about the world around them. Put them in a class where their body does wonderful things like moving to music, and they’ll be eager to learn more about how they actually do it. And this can stand them in good stead for later life.

Naomi Wallen, owner of Dance Matters, a community dance school says that learning about the body through dance can influence children’s future path: 

“When you know how a body jumps, you can jump higher, farther, quicker. Introducing the concepts of anatomy when the children are young will allow them to build upon this foundation in the future. They will learn that there is more to their bodies than what they see in the mirror. 

“If a child becomes intrigued by their body, they may develop a life path for themselves. I know former dancers who are now doctors, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists and pharmacists. Additionally, if a child learns how amazing their body is, their relationship with their body can be a positive one. Body image is a difficult part of the lives of children and young adults – any opportunity to embrace the brilliance of our bodies is worth the work.”

4. Improved social skills

Dancing isn’t all about the individual – even in more solo disciplines such as ballet or tap. As part of their class, children will be asked to communicate and cooperate with their fellow students, both in pairs and in groups. For shy children, in particular, dancing can be a really big help and encourage them to come out of their shell as they talk to others and make new friends. 

Debbi Fullilove believes that people often underestimate that dance can take soft skills straight back to basics: 

“Dance is about encouraging children to have fun, while increasing basic core skills that can benefit them in future life. This includes verbal communication through socialising with their peers, listening skills, and also encouraging them to take ideas and develop them.”

5. Friendship

Improved social skills are just one branch of dance, and dancing often requires children to work together. Making friends comes easy to children – they seem to be able to talk to anyone and at any time! So place them in a room full of similarly aged children where their only job is to move to music, and they’re bound to interact and before you know it they’ve formed a bond.

Naomi Wallen believes that friendship is one of the biggest benefits that children take out of the dance studio:

“They learn how to be friends with people who aren’t the same as them. Our classes are mixed gender. Some have a range of ages, and some dancers have learning disabilities. The children discover how community is a gorgeous thing and how role models can be found in unexpected places. 

Learning how to socialise with others from an early stage is a vital part of a child’s cognitive development. Dance brings together children from a variety of backgrounds and personalities, creating an environment outside of the child’s comfort zone. Children are encouraged to learn to adapt, connect and communicate in new ways. They learn to build trust and effective relationships.”

Roch Valley Funky Dance Hold All 

6. A healthy body

Children weren’t made to sit still, but watching television or playing video games can turn from an occasional treat into a daily habit. Dancing gets them out of the house on a regular basis, and while you may not be looking for your kids to lose weight, it helps to keep their heart, and brain, healthy.

Giving children the confidence and encouragement to move while they’re young will give them a taste for physical activity that they carry with them into later life. Whether they become a professional dancer or not, they might continue with amateur classes as an adult or migrate to a completely different sport – it doesn’t matter as long as they move.

Debbi Fullilove, who owns Yorkshire-based Dance Stars UK, shared her thoughts:

“Encouraging children to dance is much more than just the physical element, exercise and getting children away from an indoor environment. Children have a thirst to learn and develop, and dance – from musical theatre to street dance – is a great way of helping them grow and come out of their shell.

“In a day and age where many children are scared of how they may be accepted, there is nothing more rewarding as a dance teacher than seeing them flourish.”

I would heartily recommend ballet as a discipline for kids.  In an age where technology is seeming taking over, it's great to find something which creates health, discipline and an appreciation for music - without the use of an iPad and, in my experience, the skills you learn are with you forever.

Further information about the Nicola Peros Ballet School which serves Cardiff and Barry is available at www.nicolaperosballet.com.

For a great selection of dance wear go to www.dancewearcentral.co.uk.

Read more

Diabetes in Children: Focus On The Positive

It can be one of the most overwhelming challenges any parent can ever go through, and that is because there are so many different things to think about when it comes to managing your child’s diabetes.

We, as parents have enough to think about, we already have to handle the immense pressures of doting on young ones, so having the added pressure of dealing with diabetes can be horrendously daunting a lot of the time.

Image credit

But don’t despair and don’t pull your hair out, because chances are you are doing the most fantastic job.

However, if you are doubting yourself now and then, or just want a little bit of advice on how you can make thing easier, then the following tips may help.

Image source

1. Management tasks

It doesn’t matter what age your child is, you are going to need to take a really proactive role when it comes to the management tasks of diabetes.

This will not only make your life easier, but it will help them understand what they need to remember, which will encourage these steps to become a habit.

This includes meal planning, monitoring glucose levels in their blood, insulin injection and pill management. All of this is part of your life, it is just a matter of adjustment.

2. Understanding

Understanding what diabetes is, what can help and what can inflame is a tough task. It requires a real dedication to gaining knowledge. However, there are a few areas which you can concentrate on, and do as a family.

These include things like exercising, and knowing how, when, for how long and at what intensity they should be exercising. It includes things like understanding the importance of daily foot care, how to apply Allpresan, how to do a thorough foot exam and what footwear is best.

Above all, it also requires a detailed understanding of high and low glucose levels, how to treat and how to prevent.

3. Medical Team

Don’t just find a good medical team, work as closely as you can with them. Learn as much as you can from them, try and tap into their knowledge, especially when it comes to pediatric diabetes.

Speak to everyone on the team that you can; doctors, nutritionists, educators, mental health experts, and anyone else you can. It will all help, and it will all help hugely. The less stress, worry, and pressure on you the better, so do what you can to reduce that stress.

4. Honesty

This is so important and so underrated. The worst thing anyone can do in life - whether it involves diabetes, bereavement, cancer or anything else - is to suffer in silence.

So talk to your child about anything they may be feeling. Ask what they are struggling with, help them remain positive and upbeat. Tell them about all the things they are doing so incredibly well, and build from there.

It is easier to help them improve on their weaknesses by focussing on their strengths,; it will help their mentality. But don’t stop there.

Be honest with your medical team; tell them what you are struggling with and what your child is struggling with too. This will allow them to react accordingly and help you both make the right moves.

5. Focus

Don’t make their life all about diabetes, because it isn’t who they are it is just something they live with.

Talk to them about other stuff too, about school, friends, girls, hobbies and everything else you talk to your other kids about.

The last thing you want to do when your child comes back home from school starts asking them about their glucose levels and focussing on this again. Let them tell you off their own back.

Just ask them what they got up to and whether their friend Jack is still is still captain of the football team. Take the focus away from diabetes for a moment.

6. Normal

Yes, your child has diabetes, a condition that requires monitoring and attention and concern, but let them have a normal childhood too.

So many parents let the worry overcome all else, so much so that they forget the child has their own life to lead and one that they want to be as normal as possible. So let them play sports and have their friends over for sleepovers and go to parties and stay up late watching films with you once a week.

That is the best way to help them feel strong and not powerless, happy and not caged, grateful and not bitter. It is about mentality, and normality, both of which you will have a huge amount of sway over.

Read more

Remedies To Try When Your Children Are Under The Weather

From cuts and scrapes to bruising and bloody knees, roaming toddlers and active children often end up with a few of these! On top of that you may have to deal with insect bites, upset tummies, headaches, and general coughs and colds.

Here are some remedies for minor aches and ailments that might just be useful for your children to ease you little ones' pain.

Image credit:  Pixabay

Scratchy Sore Throats

Even as adults, when we get a sore throat it can feel like someone is scratching away inside our mouth, so imagine how horrible it is for kids. To ease a sore throat the natural way, try using lemon and honey. Honey is great for soothing soreness and lemon acts quickly to dry up congestion. Try a tablespoon of honey on its own or mix together a spoonful of each and heat in the microwave for 20 seconds until lukewarm. Please remember though to not give honey to children under a year old.

Image credit: Pixabay

Insect Bites

For small insect bites, you can try over the counter medicine or opt for a natural remedy. Both coconut oil and baking soda are both known to stop that annoying itchy feeling. And the fewer times kids scratch the bites, the less likely they are to get infected. If you are using coconut oil, simply rub it onto bites. If you are using baking soda, mix a teaspoon with water to make a thick paste and then apply it to the bite. Baking soda is alkaline, and therefore it cancels out the acidic swelling that bites cause.

Image credit: Pixabay

Online Doctor

If your child has a minor illness such as diarrhea, a cold, sore throat or a fever, you may want to invest in the services of an online doctor. This works well if you are busy at work, the surgery is closed, or you cannot secure an appointment that day with your local doctor. Online doctors enable you to consult a GP, ask medical questions and even send photos of the issue your child has. This is a good way to get advice and give you peace of mind. Online Doctor subscriptions also enable you to keep a password protected clinical record of all your child’s current and past medications.

Nosebleeds

If your child has a one off nosebleed, you can try treating the bleed with cayenne pepper spice. It sounds like it might burn, but it doesn’t! Cayenne pepper is a spice that acts to clot blood. If your child has a nosebleed get them to hold their head upright and then carefully pinch the nostrils together for a few minutes. Then, using a cotton ball, dab the inside of the nose with the spice where the bleed has occurred. You can also put a teaspoon of cayenne pepper into a glass of water and get the to drink this too. However, if your child has frequent nosebleeds, pleased do go and get checked by the doctor for any underlying conditions.

Read more

Enjoy More Water The Flavoursome Way With Robinsons Squash'd

Kids love water.  To be more precise, kids love splashing, swimming and water-bombing.  They love being sprayed with hoses.  Puddles, pools, rivers, streams and of course the sea - all fine.

Watching strange creatures flit across the surface of a pond shimmering with sunlight?  Check.  Spending so long in a paddling pool that the grass on your lawn takes a year to recover?  Check. Feeling the bubbling waters of a fast flowing river rush over your ankles as you jump across on stepping stones?  Brilliant.

Water parks, log flumes, lawn sprinklers - bring them on.  Ice cubes, ice lollies, ice cream - of course.

Have a glass of water?

No.

Now I have explained, as have their teachers, that our bodies are 70% water and that even a slight drop in the levels of hydration has a measurable effect on our cognitive ability.

I obviously translated this for them as in "you won't be able to find your Shopkins or Star Wars Lightsabers".

I have warned them both that if they don't start imbibing water soon they will both look like a pair of sultanas on a day out in Marbella.  I mean the fruit, not the female potentate.

But, after two or three sips, glasses are cast aside.  Caitlin, in particular is dreadful for not drinking water. Weirdly she will drink a glass before she goes to bed from the upstairs sink because the water there is especially cold and she says it tastes nicer.

We have a cupboard full of water bottles in a variety of colours and featuring several of their favourite characters to encourage them to enjoy more water.

They will, however, drink squash and the whole family has drunk Robinsons Squash for years - after all they've been making it since 1935.

Robinsons polled 2000 adults and discovered that two out three (64%) parents say they do not know how much water their children should be drinking each day, and 42% say their children find the taste of water ‘boring’.

As a general guideline, kids aged 5-8 should be drinking 1 litre (approx 5 glasses), kids aged 9-12 need 1.5 litres (approx 7 glasses) and over 13+ the recommended amount is 2 litres (8-10 glasses). These quantities should be increased if you are exercising a lot or on a hot day.

We also try to instill into our kids the fact that when you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated so it's best to top your water levels up regularly throughout the day.

So, in January this year, Robinsons launched the Enjoying Drinking More Water campaign and we have signed up to the #EnjoyMoreWater Challenge run by BritMums and sponsored by Robinsons.

We were sent a selection of  Robinsons Squash’d - little pods of super-concentrated squash which make up to 20 drinks when diluted with water, and a star chart to help track our progress.

Robinsons Squash'd comes in a variety of flavours such as Passion Fruit & Mango, Orange & Peach, Lemon & Pink Grapefruit and, Caitlin and Ieuan's favourite, Apple & Blackcurrant.

Now obviously we are well aware of the importance of protecting our kids' teeth, but I think that as long as they have good dental hygiene and are given a clean bill of health by the dentist, then there is little harm in one or two glasses of squash a day, provided that their teeth are not brushed immediately afterwards and are given at least 20 minutes to avoid damaging the tooth enamel.

And you don't want little ones constantly sucking on a bottle or sippy cup filled with squash for this very reason.

But, as a way of getting them to enjoy more water, adding a dash of one of Robinsons flavoured squashes from one of their cute little portable Squash'd pods is a great way to get them to up their water intake - particularly since Robinsons Squash'd contains no added sugar or artificial colours or preservatives.

I would certainly prefer that they had squash rather than fizzy drinks which can do much greater damage to young tooth enamel.

So how do you get kids to up their water intake?

- Use a reward chart

A reward chart works well and is a great way to measure how much they are drinking - if  you can get them to remember to add stickers. Hands up, we weren't brilliant at this.

- Have a jug of water on the table at meal times

You could have a jug of water with some pretty glasses on the table with each meal, perhaps jazzing the water up with some slices of lemon or orange.  We encourage our two to help set the table and filling the water jug is a great task to delegate to an older child.

- Try a variety of water bottles

There are loads of different types of water bottle such as these which allow you to add a selection of fruit to a central reservoir in the bottle.  We tried strawberries and mint for example.

- Get the kids to take bottled water to their exercise /sports classes

I make sure the kids have bottle of water to take to their ballet and Tae Kwon-Do as I find it's easier to get them to drink plain water if they have been exercising.

- Lead by example

As parents, we have to lead by example so the Husband and I make sure that we drink water with meals too.

- Keep hydrated during shopping

If we are out together shopping, I will often carry a couple of bottles of mineral water for us and mix up some squash to take with us for the kids. Carrying a Robinsons Squash'd with you means you can mix up squash almost anywhere.

- Keep a glass of water by the kids' bedsides at night

We also make sure that the kids have a glass of water by their bedside each night. It's part of our nightly ritual and oddly it is the one time of day they will happily drink it.

- Make your own Squash lollies

In hot weather a simple to use lolly kit is a godsend because you can just freeze your squash to make an additive free lolly.

- Give them a 'grown up' glass or bottle, or a fun straw

Anything which ups the fun factor is more likely to get them to drink.

- Medicate with water first

If the kids complain about having a sore throat or a headache, our first piece of advice is always to have a long glass of water.

- Keep hydrated when travelling

We never travel in the car without having some bottled water to hand which is really important in hot weather and we can carry one of the Robinsons Squash'd pods to make some impromptu squash to jazz things up a bit.

I hope you've found some of our ideas helpful.  Let me know how you encourage your kids to enjoy more water in the comments below.

This post is an entry for BritMums #EnjoyMoreWater Challenge, sponsored by Robinsons.

Read more

What is Hepatitis A?

A third outbreak of Hepatitis A has been confirmed in a South Wales school this week.

But what exactly is Hepatitis A?

Source:  Jeff Eaton, Flickr

Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and it is highly contagious.

It is usually spread when the Hepatitis A virus is taken in by mouth from contact with objects, food, or drinks contaminated by the feces (or stool) of an infected person.

This is more likely to occur in countries where Hepatitis A is common and in areas where there are poor sanitary conditions or poor personal hygiene.

The average time between exposure to the virus and the development of hepatitis symptoms is about 30 days.

One of the first viral hepatitis symptoms is a high temperature and fever along with feeling tired and unwell.

Other symptoms include:-

- joint & muscle pain
- loss of appetite
- pain in the upper right part of your stomach
- jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
- dark urine and pale stools
- itchy skin

Hepatitis A in children is usually asymptomatic while in adolescents and adults the symptoms are easier to spot.

Because Hepatitis A can be a mild infection, particularly in children, some people might not know that they've had it. It can cause prolonged illness for up to 6 months, but usually only causes short-lived, mild illness.

It does not cause chronic liver disease. In milder cases, symptoms may be similar to a stomach virus (with vomiting and diarrhea).

The best way to prevent Hepatitis A is through vaccination with the Hepatitis A vaccine but this is not routinely offered on the NHS.

If you are travelling to a higher risk area, such as Africa, Asia, Central America, Southern and Eastern Europe, you are advised to get yourself vaccinated.

Immune globulin can be given either before exposure to the Hepatitis A virus (such as before travel to a country where Hepatitis A is common) or to prevent infection after exposure to the Hepatitis A virus.

Otherwise the NHS advice on managing Hepatitis A includes staying away from school or work for at least a week after your symptoms appeared, getting lots of rest and being meticulous about your personal hygiene.

Public Health Wales say "We continue to work closely with Environmental Health Officers to investigate this outbreak and to offer advice to parents, school staff and pupils. All information received is treated confidentially.

 

People are advised to contact their own GP or NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47 if they have any concerns about their health or their child’s health."

Read more

How To Talk To Your Kids About The Risks From Cigarettes, Vaping & Marijuana

You might be a smoker, you may or may not support the legalization of marijuana, but you will never want your kids being involved with any of these things.

With the new trend of e-cigs and related vaping products becoming increasingly popular among teenagers and the ongoing debate on the topic of legalization of weed, a lot of parents find themselves on a shaky ground during an argument about their usage.

To make things worse, you find a lot of celebrities posting their pictures using such products and it leaves you with a question, “Will we be able to raise our kids without them being addicted to any drug or related smoking product?”

The answer is “Yes” but it always pays to have a plan.

You don’t want to sound uncool or strict while dealing with such scenarios.  As parents we know that both of these approaches can be counter-productive.

Below are some of the things that you can do to make your children aware of the pressures placed upon them by the marketing campaigns of regular and electronic cigarette manufacturers, as well as the risks both short, and long-term of marijuana use.

Regular Tobacco Cigarettes

• Tell your kids about the dangers of smoking by showing them the health-related statistics and pictures of the complications that smoking cause. Once they will realize that the consequences aren’t as cool as the act, they will hopefully decide to stay away from smoking by themselves.

 • Explain how addictive nicotine is and how hard it is to get out of its addiction. Your kids should know the physical signs of nicotine addiction and how bad it is for them.

• Make your kids aware of various marketing gimmicks - for example even if a cigarette is menthol or any other flavored, it’s still just as bad for your health as a regular one.

Electronic Cigarettes

• Tell your kids about the latest research on e-cigs and vaporizers that indicate that these vaping products contain carcinogenic chemicals like formaldehyde.  A spokesman at Simply E liquid advised that they are only permitted to sell to the over 18's and that if they are suspicious of any orders then they will contact the buyer to verify their age.

• Tell your kids about the harmful effects of vaping on growing bodies.

• Tell them about the nicotine addiction they can get by using vaporizers and electronic cigarettes.

• Ask your doctor to tell your kids about the various health hazards related to vaping and usage of other related e-cig products.

• Explain to your kids how e-cig sites use celebrities for the sake of their product’s advertisement and make these products look harmless and eco-friendly as compared to regular cigarettes.

Marijuana

• On contrast to the popular belief, teenagers still tend to listen to their parents and look up to them for guidance. You can guide your kids about the importance of a good character, better judgment, and how the promise of a successful future is compromised by an addiction.

• Explain the side-effects of marijuana addiction and how it affects a developing brain.

• In scenarios, where the kids do not respond to a restriction very well, asking them to wait until they’re old enough, and their body and brain has developed, can help you delay this situation as long as possible.

• Look for the factors that influence teenagers to develop a habit like this. Make sure that your kid is not dealing with any social or education-related stress or he/she is not facing any emotional instability.

• No one, especially kids these days, like being tricked or made a fool of. Explain the advertisement strategies of companies and how they tend to use the name of famous celebrities like Bob Marley or Willie Nelson to boost up their marketing campaign for their own benefit.

Smoking is never an easy subject to address but the sooner you do so and the better armed you are with the right information about the dangers to their health, the better chance you stand of stopping these habits in their tracks.

And of course, if you are a smoker yourself and don't want your kids to pick up your bad habits, this may be a very good time to cut back and eventually quit altogether.

Read more

What is Swine Flu?

After the sad news that a 3 year old child recently died from a suspected case of swine flu, and as officials confirm that three others are infected, what exactly is Swine Flu?

If in doubt, telephone your GP for advice

A relatively new strain of the influenza virus, Swine Flu (or H1N1) is highly contagious.

The H1N1 form of this virus is one of the descendants of the strain that caused the 1918 flu pandemic.

Swine Flu is a respiratory disease that infects the respiratory tract of pigs and results in a barking cough, decreased appetite, nasal secretions, and listless behavior.

It is transmitted from person to person by inhalation or ingestion of droplets containing the virus from people sneezing or coughing; it is not transmitted by eating cooked pork products.

The disease is contagious about one day before symptoms develop to about five to seven days after symptoms develop. Some patients may be contagious for a longer time span.

Its symptoms are similar to regular flu and include:-

- fever
- fatigue
- lack of appetite
- coughing
- sore throat.

People infected with the swine flu often complain about the problems with stomach, headaches and even toothache.

In some cases, human swine flu is asymptomatic, which means the infected person feels fine and has no symptoms.

Although most people recover in a week without treatment, it is dangerous for children under two, pregnant women and those over 65.

A potentially life-threatening complication of human swine flu is pneumonia (a type of lung infection).

Those who do die from swine flu often have some underlying medical condition, like asthma or diabetes.

Sufferers are advised to keep warm and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Some antiviral drugs, such as Tamiflu, appear to be effective against the human swine influenza H1N1 strain.

Tamiflu is a prescription medicine used to treat the flu in people 2 weeks of age and older who have had flu symptoms for no more than 2 days.

Tamiflu is not a substitute for an annual flu vaccination.

It is not known whether Tamiflu is harmful to an unborn baby.

You can find more information on the NHS website.

Read more

What is Scarlet Fever?

As scarlet fever cases reach an almost 50-year high, and nearly 600 cases a week are being diagnosed in England alone, what exactly is this disease?

Scarlet fever is a highly contagious disease caused by an infection with bacteria in the group A Streptococcus (the same bacteria that cause strep throat).

It mainly affects children with those aged between 2-8 being most at risk.

Scarlet fever is treatable with antibiotics and usually is a mild illness, but it needs to be treated to prevent rare but serious long-term health problems.

There is no vaccine.

The incubation period for scarlet fever is about 12 hours to seven days.

Scarlet fever is usually spread by the aerosol route (inhalation), but may also be spread by skin contact or anything capable of carrying infection including skin cells, hair, clothing and bedding.

As it's so contagious, scarlet fever is likely to affect someone in close contact with a person with a sore throat or skin infection caused by streptococcus bacteria.

Early symptoms to look out for are a sore throat, headache and fever with a pinkish/red sandpapery rash appearing within a day or two.

The rash usually first appears on the chest and stomach before spreading to other parts of the body.

Scarlet fever is usually treated with a 10-day course of antibiotics, often in the form of penicillin or amoxicillin tablets, although liquid may be used for young children.

The fever usually gets better within 24 hours of starting antibiotics, with the other symptoms disappearing within a few days.

If scarlet fever has been caught as a result of a throat infection, the fever usually goes within 3 to 5 days, and the sore throat passes soon afterward.

The scarlet fever rash usually fades on the sixth day after sore throat symptoms began, but skin that was covered by rash may begin to peel. This peeling may last 10 days.

You should keep your child away from nursery or school for at least 24 hours after starting antibiotic treatment.

Adults with scarlet fever should also stay off work for at least 24 hours after starting treatment.

You can also take some simple self care measures such as:-

- drinking plenty of cool fluids
- eating soft foods (if your throat is painful)
- taking paracetamol to bring down a high temperature
- using calamine lotion or antihistamine tablets to relieve itching

Public Health England (PHE)  expects a further rise in cases in the next few weeks as the peak season for the fever occurs, usually between late March and mid April. Currently, Yorkshire, the Humber, London and the East and West Midlands are being badly hit.

For further information go to the NHS Choices website.

Read more

Review: Time Tokens - A Great Way To Control Your Child's Screen Time

We recently had the opportunity to test Time Tokens - a brilliantly simple solution to weaning kids off a growing dependence on their tablets and screen time in general by putting the control in their hands.

Counter intuitive though it may sound, Time Tokens aims to give children the power to manage their own screen time in a way which avoids arguments, teaches them new skills and encourages them to actively seek out family time which is NOT screen based.

The brain-child of mum of 2 Amanda Bucknall, Time Tokens were born when she found it increasingly difficult to get her 7 year old son Harry to turn off the TV or get off the i-pad.

It was easier to persuade him to do his homework, go to bed or eat veggies!

Fed up with emotionally draining battles over screen-time, Amanda and Harry set about inventing a system that would work for both of them – Time Tokens was born.

It worked so simply and effectively, soon temper tantrums were a thing of the past and Harry was actually using less screen-time and was happier and calmer as a result. After trialing it with friends and family Amanda realised they had hit on something really special.

So how does it work?

Each child is given a Time Token wallet which contains a selection of tickets each worth a certain number of minutes.  The parents decide how many tickets they are allowed and the children hand them in to gain the appropriate number of minutes of screen time.

There is also a Golden Ticket which the children get as a reward for sticking to their side of the bargain and which they can exchange for a non screen-based family activity (an ING) of their choice.

The pack also contains a timer so they can check they are sticking to the number of minutes they have 'bought' and a contract which the child signs to say they promise to stick to their side of the bargain by not going over their allotted time.

They must also promise to switch off once their timer says their time is up and not complain!

Friday is Time Tokens day when they'll get their next allowance.

There is also a range of cute cartoon characters called the Frazzles, Sparky, Splodge, Whizz, Wiggle and Pickle, each of whom has a different interest and idea of how to spend that Golden Ticket, painting, singing, exploring, making things - absolutely nothing to do with typING!

Every Friday you receive a newsletter which features a Time Tokener of the week and artwork the kids have produced of the Frazzles, together with tips and advice to help parents maintain a calmer and less 'frazzled' household.

The minimum age is 5 years old and I would say the top age range is about 8-9.

So what did we think?

The Time Tokens themselves are a breeze to use and the kids grasped the concept immediately. What was interesting from our point of view as parents is that the exercise forced us to recognise our part in the kids' rather excessive amount of screen time.

I think we are all guilty of using screen time as a babysitter and general calming activity when, ironically, it is often anything but.

Time Tokens actually makes adults discuss appropriate limits on screen time and encourages you to focus more on non-screen-based activities.

Caitlin was happy to stop using her iPad when her allotted time was up as she enjoys reading more than her brother.  (She's 8, he's 6).  She'll happily take herself off to her room and read.

Ieuan, on the other hand, requires rather more coercion to give up his tablet but was very keen to take control of planning the family outing.

We are addressing our other bad habits too - for example taking iPads to restaurants to keep the kids quiet.  Now we are encouraging them to talk about their day and making plans as a family.

We had noticed the beginning of a definite spiral of moodiness linked to iPad usage - I hesitate to use the term addictive behaviour but it can be pretty close.

We make sure that the iPads stay downstairs and don't find their way up to bedrooms (or get hidden under duvets!).

Time Tokens may not work for older, more sophisticated kids but it is a great tool for at least beginning to tackle the problem of excessive screen time and to help set more realistic limits.

I loved the idea of the contract / promise the child signs up to and the Willy Wonka Golden Ticket reward.

If it does nothing other than get the adults to address the problem then it's worth the very reasonable price of a pack of tokens.

And if it gets children reading (Charlie & The Chocolate Factory for example), instead of playing Hay Day or watching endless Kinder Egg videos on YouTube, that's a great step forward.

Time Tokens are available at a special launch discount of £10.95 from www.TimeTokens.com

I think they're well worth a try.

Read more

What Is Meningitis B?

Meningitis B has been in the news recently following a couple of high profile cases, in particular that of two-year-old Faye Burdett, from Maidstone, Kent, who caught the infection and died after 11 days on Valentine’s Day.

Image credit

Her father, Lee Booth, finding that one of his two young daughters was deemed too old to have the vaccine last September (2015) started an online petition to get all children vaccinated up to the age of 11.

The petition has become the most signed online petition in parliamentary history with more than 640,000 signatures.

But what is Meningitis B?

Meningitis B is a meningococcal bacterial infection and can be extremely serious as it can cause blood poisoning (septicaemia), and according to the NHS is "the leading infectious killer of babies and young children in the UK".

The Meningitis Research Foundation says that Meningitis B is "the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in the UK".

Meningitis B is an infection of the protective membranes around the brain and spinal column and can lead to severe brain damage, amputations and death.  It is always treated as a medical emergency.

Meningitis B is most common in children under 1 year old, with cases peaking at 5-6 months of age.

Image Credit

What are the symptoms of Meningitis B?

* Severe headache
* Dislike of bright lights
* Neck stiffness
* Nausea and vomiting
* Confusion and drowsiness
* Loss of consciousness
* Convulsions/seizures
* Fever with cold hands and feet
* Joint or muscle pain
* Rapid breathing / grunting
* Stomach cramps and diarrhoea
* Red / purple spots or bruises that do not fade under pressure

The above symptoms can appear in any order, and some may not appear at all.

Image Credit 

The rash can be harder to see on dark skin, in which case check for spots on paler areas like the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, on the tummy, inside the eyelids and on the roof of the mouth.

Don’t wait for a rash to develop. If your child is unwell and getting worse, seek medical help immediately.

A vaccine to protect against meningitis B is available on the NHS for babies aged two months, followed by a second dose at four months and a booster at 12 months.

Parents who wish to have older children vaccinated must pay privately, although a worldwide shortage of the vaccine Bexsero means stocks are very low.

Boots has run out of supplies and CityDoc, the largest supplier of the vaccine outside of the NHS, said although existing patients would be given their boosters, there were not enough supplies to cater for new patients.

Manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline hopes to increase UK stocks by the summer.

The NHS programme is unaffected.

Read more

What is the infection Sepsis?

Until the recent coverage of the tragic case of little William Mead and the alleged failure of the NHS 111 helpline and other medical agencies to make a correct diagnosis of Sepsis, I was unaware of this potentially deadly disease. 

As parents, we sometimes put our faith in the NHS and other medical agencies to a worrying degree. My own often stated view is that, when in doubt, take your child to A&E or push for a second medical opinion.

And educate yourself.  I am not saying put blind faith in Google either but at least arm yourself with some basic knowledge which enables you to ask the right questions.

So what is Sepsis?

Sepsis is a common and potentially life-threatening condition triggered by an infection in any part of the body.  It is a whole-body inflammatory response which results in symptoms such as a fever, raised pulse rate, raised breathing and confusion.  

Sometimes, the specific infection and source of sepsis cannot be identified. Because it can begin in different parts of the body, the disease can have many different symptoms.

Sepsis is often referred to as either blood poisoning or septicaemia, although it could be argued that both terms are not entirely accurate. It is not just limited to the blood and can affect the whole body, including the organs. 

It can also be caused by viral or fungal infections, although bacterial infections are by far the most common cause.

Sepsis can also cause blood clots to form in your organs and in your arms, legs, fingers and toes leading to varying degrees of organ failure and tissue death (gangrene). 

Neonatal Sepsis can also be due to infection with fungi, viruses, or parasites but it can be difficult to diagnose as newborns may be asymptomatic. 

Symptoms of Sepsis are likely to include fever, warm skin, chills, shaking, rapid heart rate, skin rash, hyperventilation, hypothermia, confusion, delirium, drowsiness or a decrease in urination. However, the initial signs and symptoms of Sepsis are frequently non-specific, leading to a delay in diagnosis.

As with meningitis, the symptoms of Sepsis in children are not specific and vary from child to child.

If Sepsis is detected early enough and it has not yet affected vital organs, it may be possible to treat the condition at home with antibiotic tablets. If it is caused by a virus, antibiotics will not work. 

With early treatment, a full recovery is made in most cases with no lasting problems.

Severe cases often result from a body-wide infection that spreads through the bloodstream, but Sepsis can also stem from a localized infection. 

For example, in someone who already has kidney impairment, Sepsis can lead to kidney failure that requires lifelong dialysis. 

Severe Sepsis causes poor organ function or insufficient blood flow and is usually treated with intravenous fluids and antibiotics.  It is a particular risk for people already in hospital due to another serious illness. 

It is more common among males than females and the worldwide incidence of the disease is estimated to be 18 million cases per year. 

That's an incredible statistic for a disease I only learned about yesterday.

If you are in any doubt, please seek urgent medical attention.

Read more

Refresh & Rehydrate Your Kids With Robinsons

Kids do everything at 100 miles an hour and, in their haste to pursue the next shiny thing, or toy, or chance to make a mess, sometimes things like drinking enough fall by the wayside.

We know that staying hydrated is vital for our health.  In fact just a slight drop in hydration levels affects our brain and our performance.

Robinsons Sparkling Orange & Ginger

And, for school age children, staying hydrated is even more important to give them the best chance to learn as much as possible.

So how do we encourage our kids (and the rest of our family!) to drink more?

Ideally, of course, the drink of choice would be water but, having regularly had to remove barely touched cups of water, it's good that there is another weapon in the parenting arsenal.

Robinsons Squash is a regular item on the shopping list with eleven flavours including no added sugar varieties. Caitlin's favourite is orange whilst Ieuan is an Apple & Blackcurrant fan.  They have to be different, don't they? But there's also Lemon & Mango, Orange & Raspberry and the more exotic Mango & Passion Fruit.

I drank Robinsons as a child too (yes I know that's a few years ago), although I'm afraid it never improved my tennis.

Caitlin about to make her grown up drink

This year Robinsons have a new recipe and are encouraging us to be a little more creative with their squash to encourage us all to drink more water in a tasty, easy to prepare way.  All their squashes are now 'no added sugar' too.

So why not indulge your inner mixologist and see if you can come up with something a little more exciting than straight squash?

How about Warming Lemon & Ginger?  Robinsons Lemon with fresh lemon juice and finely grated ginger, served with warm water from the kettle?

Or, just right for Christmas, Mulled Apple & Blackcurrant? Apple & Blackcurrant squash with cloves, black peppercorns, star anise and ground allspice?  Just warm in a pan, simmer for 3 minutes and then set aside for 3 minutes to infuse.

Don't Worry - I Was Supervising!

Caitlin's new twist on her favourite orange squash was to combine it with ginger ale for a bit of sparkle and a touch more zing. Well, actually it was Robinsons' idea but I hadn't the heart to discourage her.

Adding the squash

We used approximately 50 ml of Robinsons orange per glass and topped it up with sugar free ginger ale and sliced of orange.

Adding the ginger ale - other brands are available!

The drink was really refreshing and Caitlin really enjoyed having a hand in making a drink she found a little more exciting.

You could add a few extra touches if you wanted to with coloured straws, glace cherries on sticks (I'm going back to the 70's here) or even a cocktail umbrella.  Strangely the latter seem to have vanished from supermarket shelves.  Can't think why.

Caitlin's "Orange Fantasy"

We're looking forward to mixing up some more combinations - next on the list is a St. Clements with orange and sparkling lemonade and I'm looking forward to warming some lemon squash and adding some honey the next time someone has a sore throat.

Why not give some of your own blends a try?

To find out more about the Robinsons range you can visit www.robinsonsquash.co.uk.  Alternatively you can talk to them on Facebook @RobinsonsDrinks or Twitter @DrinkRobinsons.

Like what you've read?  Why not join me on the Mother Distracted Facebook page, tweet me on @lindahobbis or follow me on Instagram.

*collaborative post

Read more

Review: Salcura Bioskin Junior & Giveaway

Having had two kids who have occasionally suffered from mild eczema, I was interested to discover Salcura Natural Skin Therapy.

Salcura is a British Skincare Brand that creates natural formulations for problem skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, acne and sensitive skin.

Salcura Bioskin Junior Bathtime Bath Milk - £9.99

One of Salcura's most popular ranges is the award-winning Bioskin Junior, which caters to dry skin conditions in children. In particular the range is designed for babies and children prone to eczema and psoriasis.

Bioskin Junior offers a range of products to form a skin therapy regime which uses only naturally active ingredients. The products are free from steroids, SLS, parabens, lanolin, phthalates, antibiotics and paraffin.

The products are designed to work with the skin to aid its own natural healing process and will also help sooth dermatitis, dry and itchy skin. We were invited to try some of the Bioskin Junior products.

We tried the two step system (Daily Nourishing Spray and Outbreak Rescue Cream) and the Bath Milk.

The bath milk is designed to cleanse, soften and soothe and has chamomile as the active ingredient. There is also a face & body wash and a shampoo. The product has quite a botanical, natural fragrance and is non greasy - helping to avoid dangerous slips in the bath.  Salcura suggest using 2-3 capfuls of bathmilk per bath.   We found the bathmilk gave a soothing, gentle bath with no harsh aromas and no greasy residue left to scrub off the tub.

Salcura Bioskin Junior Daily Nourishing Spray - £9.99

Eczema can damage the skin's protective membrane. Traditional creams and emollients can help to manage this by creating an artificial barrier but the Bioskin Daily Nourishing Spray works differently.

Salcura say it penetrates deeply to nourish and support the growth of new cells, helping the skin to repair itself and rebuild its own protective membrane.  

The nourishing spray is designed to be used on affected areas of skin twice a day. The spray can be used on the face too - just take care to avoid the eyes.

We found it to be a light, colourless spray which is easy to use, pleasantly fragranced and quickly absorbed.  

The Daily Nourishing Spray is part of a two step system.  The spray is for regular maintenance when skin is not flaring up. Its active ingredient is Sea Buckthorn, rich in Omegas.

Salcura Bioskin Junior Outbreak Rescue Cream - £9.99

The Outbreak Rescue Cream is designed to be used during flare ups. It should be applied liberally to the skin as often as required and can also be used on the face.  I tried it on a sore patch of skin I have on my hand and the cream did not sting, was very soothing and left a definite protective layer.

The active ingredient is Natural Volcanic Zeolite, said to be rich in rejuvenating minerals.

I was quite impressed by the Bioskin Junior products and like the fact that there are no harsh additives. The spray, in particular, is a great way of applying skin care to wriggly, grumpy little ones! Older children could even apply it themselves.

There are some brilliant customer reviews on the website too.  If your child has eczema you tend to work your way through all the 'usual suspects' - Doublebase, Diprobase etc until you find one that works but the customer reports here are promising.

The Salcura Bioskin Junior products are available at  www.salcuraskincare.com and have a 30 day money back guarantee. Alternatively, you can find them at Boots and some wholefood shops.

I have a set of the products we reviewed to giveaway - the bath milk and the two-step system (the nourishing spray and the outbreak cream).  Entry is by the Rafflecopter widget.  UK entries only and terms & conditions apply. Please see my competitions page. The giveaway ends at midnight on Saturday 19th December.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Further information at https://www.salcuraskincare.com/bioskin-junior/.

Read more

Review: Infruition - Fruit Flavoured Water The Healthy Way

I was recently invited to try out these rather inventive water bottles from Infruition.

Infruition's mission is to help people to drink more water naturally. The concept is simple: a standard re-usable water bottle with a chamber to store fruit, veg, herbs, tea - whatever you like, which over the day infuses your water with your chosen flavour.

Caitlin & Ieuan with their Infruition Kids bottles

I am not a big fan of manufactured, flavoured bottled waters, many of which contain Asparatame - a controversial artificial sweetener which is said to be responsible for a whole host of health problems such as Tinnitus.

Aspartame is what gives the sweetness to many diet drinks, yoghurts and low fat foods and it's everywhere. The NHS refutes what it calls these scare stories but I'll leave you to make up your own mind.

Infruition Bottles

The Adult Size Infruition Bottle

Either way, giving your kids the pure, healthy goodness of fruit has to be better than a cocktail of sweetners and additives.  And anything that encourages them to drink more water, such as these Infruition bottles, is a bonus.

The bottles are very sturdy and well made.  They are made from 100% BPA free plastic and stain resistant materials.

You can put the actual bottle in the dishwasher but the fruit chamber and caps need to be hand-washed.

The cap, bottle and fruit chamber

The bottles have a leak proof design and a well fitting lid.  The adult size bottles (700 ml) come in yellow, green, red and blue, and the kids' bottles (450 ml) come in pink and blue.

The fruit chamber can be filled with a selection of chopped fruit.  We tried strawberries but you could add mint leaves and blueberries.  Or, you could try orange, kiwi and watermelon.  You could even add a herbal tea-bag for, say, a cold mint tea in summer.

Much better than sugary drinks

I felt that the bottles could have benefited from an instruction leaflet but there is a recipe booklet on the way which suggests delicious combinations such as cucumber, raspberry and grape, kale and avocado or even lemon and lavender. I am assuming this will be available when you buy the bottles.

Also there is a rubber bung in the lid which can be taken out and I am assuming it has to be in order to wash it but it wasn't entirely clear.  The fruit chamber has to be screwed in to the lid with care, being made of a thinner plastic than the bottle.

You do have to turn the bottle so that the cap is on the side when you drink if you're a glasses wearer.  (You know what I'm like about my glasses!).

Once the kids had drunk some water they wanted to get the fruit out and eat it, which was not a problem but it would mean dismantling the bottle when you're out and about.

On the plus side, if my two drink more water and eat more fruit, that's fine by me!

The adult Infruition bottle is £15.99 and the Infruition Kids bottles are £12.99. They are available on the Infruition website.

I think the bottles would make a great Christmas gift for the health-conscious family, or your favourite gym bunny.

You can find out more about Infruition on Twitter @InfruitionWater, Instagram @infruition.water or Facebook. @Infruition.

Like what you've read?  Why not join me on the Mother Distracted Facebook page, tweet me on @lindahobbis or follow me on Instagram.

Read more