Nelson, Ph.D., co-author of Strong Women, Strong Bones (Perigree).

Pool Safety Tips

True or False: If you’re having a bad day, you need a “stress formula” vitamin. Answer: False. Except in rare instances, occasional mental stress won’t deplete your body’s arsenal of stored nutrients. Physical stress, however--from surgery, physical trauma or severe burns--does increase your need for B vitamins; that’s when a “stress formula” supplement, which generally contains several times the recommended daily allowances for several different B vitamins, might be beneficial and/or necessary, Blumberg says Vegans and vegetarians should also consider taking extra B vitamins, because their diets are most often lacking in them. Certain B vitamins, like B12, are found primarily in animal foods.

With the warmer weather on the horizon, many families will be putting on swimsuits and swim shorts and heading to water parks for a little bit of summertime fun. Along with the goggles and snacks, parents of young children should also pack some extra precaution. While serious injuries at water parks are not common, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in children ages 1-4, according to U.S. Product Safety Commission. “According to the CDC, formal swim lessons reduce drowning risk by 88 percent,” says Chris DeJong, co-founder of Chicagoland’s Big Blue Swim School. If your child hasn’t started lessons, it’s never too late to begin. Big Blue Swim School offers lessons for children of all ability levels ranging in age from 6 months to 12 years old. “We always recommend that parent’s get their children involved with swim lessons as early as they can and remain committed to seeing progress. If your child is not making progress to be an independent swimmer, then it’s time to find a different program. Water safety is too important to leave to chance,” says DeJong. In addition to swim lessons, DeJong offers his top safety tips: • Learn how to swim yourself if you don’t already know. • Never leave a child unattended near water. Remember, lifeguards are not babysitters. • Stay within arm’s reach of young children at all times in and around the pool. • Make sure your backyard pool is fenced in with a self-locking gate. • If your child is going over to a friend’s house that has a pool, review the safety precautions with your child’s friend’s parents. • Understand the basics of life-saving so that you can assist in a pool emergency.That means learn to perform CPR on children and adults and update those skills regularly.

True or False: Only pregnant women need folic acid. Answer: False. All women need at least 400 micrograms of folate (or 250 micrograms of its synthetic form, folic acid) daily. “Neural-tube defects--which folic acid can help prevent--occur in the first three weeks of gestation, before many women even know they’re pregnant,” says associate nutrition professor Jeff Hampl, Ph.D., R.D. But the potential for pregnancy is just one reason to get enough folic acid; it can also help protect against heart disease, the number one killer of American women.

For older children, the American Red Cross year-round water safety suggests they: • Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards • Always swim with a buddy • Read and share with their parents the tips on this American Red Cross infographic: http://apsp.org/Portals/47/Red%20Cross%20-%20Water%20Safety%20Tips.jpg

At Shriners Hospitals for Children — Chicago, our mission is simple: deliver world-class care to children who need it most – regardless of their ability to pay.

Born with brachial plexus palsy, Charlie is all smiles following surgery that will improve the function of his shoulder.

For over 90 years, thousands of families with children in need of orthopaedic care, specialized plastic surgery, cleft lip and palate repair, physical rehabilitation, and spinal cord injury care have come through our doors with hopes of finding the very best pediatric specialty care. Under our roof, those hopes are answered every day — by physicians, nurses, and specialists using the latest technology, innovative research, and a collaborative, family-centered approach. It’s how the 22 Shriners Hospital locations have provided care for over 1.3 million children.

Do You Know a Child For a consultation, or to refer a patient, call: Who Needs Expert Shriners Hospitals for Children — Chicago Specialty Care? 773-385-KIDS (5437) 2211 N. Oak Park Ave., Chicago, IL 60707

facebook.com/shrinerschicago May/June 2018

twitter.com/shrinerschicago suburban family | subfam.com

shrinerschicago.org family wellness 53