👪 National Children's Good Manners Month

September is National Children’s Good Manners Month. As with many skills taught during childhood years, manners can be instilled early too. Manners include both simple forms of etiquette and courtesy, but also teach responsibility, respectfulness, kindness and more.
Where do you begin? Children learn from their closest role models — their parents, guardians and other family members. You can teach them by your actions, then talk through why you did such and give them ongoing opportunities to practice themselves! 

• Holding the door open for others shows your helpfulness. 
• Instilling table manners, like chewing with your mouth closed, using napkins and keeping elbows off the table, displays respect and responsibility.
• Apologizing to others for your misdoings shows kindness for people’s feelings.
• Saying hello and smiling at others displays friendliness.
• Removing cell phones and other digital devices during family time teaches respect and care for time with others.
• Saying “please” and “thank you” demonstrates gratitude.

Furthermore, with manners and exhibiting gratitude and respect, research has shown that “grateful kids feel happier, do better in school and have lower rates of depression than their less thankful peers.”

😇 WHY MANNERS COUNT

Fact #1: Good manners are a good habit. "Behaving politely is a way of life, not just something you pull out when you're at a wedding or fancy restaurant, "It's important to start as early as you can so manners become something a child does automatically, whether she is at home or away.

Fact #2: Polite behavior will help your child's social development. Kids who aren't taught social graces from an early age are at a distinct disadvantage, say experts. An ill-mannered child is a turn-off to adults and kids alike; while children aren't likely to be offended by a playmate who neglects to say "excuse me," they don't relish the company of a child who doesn't know how to share or take turns.

Fact #3: Learning manners is a lifelong education. "It won't happen overnight, and you need to take it slowly. Introducing one new social skill a month -- teaching your 2-year-old to say "hello" when another person addresses him, for example, and rewarding him with praise when he does so -- makes the process manageable for everyone.

Equally important is keeping your expectations in check. "There's only so much a small child can do.
 That same 2-year-old is not going to curtsy when ancient Aunt Mabel comes over for Sunday dinner. But she can greet her at the door and sit happily at the table for a limited period of time.

Fact #4: Your behavior counts. "That means that when you ask your partner to pass the salt, you do it with a 'please' and a 'thank you, But it goes beyond that. Think about it this way: How would you feel if your child gave a fellow tricycler the finger when he cut her off on the sidewalk? If the thought doesn't thrill you, keep your hands and fingers on the wheel while driving. Inappropriate expressions of anger are rude, too.

Fact #5: Consistency is important. Acquiring good manners takes lots of practice and reinforcement, so make sure that you, your partner, and your caregiver are encouraging (and discouraging) the same behaviors. If your husband lets your kid fling food during meals and you don't, your child won't know what's expected of him.

😇GROSS BEHAVIOR

The nose-picking is definitely the easiest thing to deal with. "When you see her going for her nose, just offer her a tissue," says Thompson. "Don't make a big deal out of it." Toddlers are trying to figure out exactly what they can get away with and what they can't. Showing displeasure may make your daughter want to engage in the behavior even more.

As for the potty talk, you're going to have to deal with it for a while. Saying the words is a way for your child to connect the urge with the act -- and that's a good thing. When she uses the words for shock value, treat the situation the same way you would the nose-picking: In a matter-of-fact manner, ask her if she needs to use the potty. If the answer is no, carry on with what you were doing. Chances are, she won't be as tempted to use these words if she can't get a rise out of you.

Manners are rules for behavior. They change with time and vary from culture to culture. Their purpose is to promote social concord.

Blogger: Egypt Assanti
ESD Baroness
{aka} Big Sister Southern Heat 😇

🍎 National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

One in 5 children in the United States are obese. Childhood obesity puts kids at risk for health problems that were once seen only in adults, like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
The good news? Childhood obesity can be prevented. Communities, health professionals, and families can work together to create opportunities for kids to eat healthier and get more active.

Make a difference for kids: spread the word about strategies for preventing childhood obesity and encourage communities, organizations, families, and individuals to get involved.

🍎How can National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month make a difference?

We can all use this month to raise awareness about the obesity epidemic and show people how they can help work towards a solution.
Here are just a few ideas:

• Encourage families to make small changes, like keeping fresh fruit within reach or going on a family walk after dinner.
• Motivate teachers and administrators to make schools healthier. Help them provide healthy food options and daily physical activities for students.
• Ask doctors and nurses to be leaders in their communities by supporting programs to prevent childhood obesity.

🍎How can I help spread the word?

We’ve made it easier for you to make a difference. This toolkit is full of ideas to help you take action today. For example:

• Add information about obesity prevention to your newsletter.
• Tweet about National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.
• Plan an event or take another action in your community to increase awareness about childhood obesity.

National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month offers opportunities for families to prevent childhood obesity early and to address the issue early. Children who have obesity issues are more likely to have those same issues as adults. Addressing them now prevents lifelong health issues such as diabetes, certain cancers, heart and sleep disorders.
Children with obesity may face physical, emotional and financial obstacles in the future, as well.

Of course, nobody knows exact numbers about things like obesity, because that would be impossible. And how much would it mean to people anyway? If they’re not concerned about the approximate figure of close to one in five American youth being obese, would an exact number really make any difference?
If 20 out of 100 is not an impressive statistic, would throwing a few more zeroes and decimal points into the mix actually improve comprehension? Could a sense of urgency be cultivated by a fancier number that basically means the same as one-fifth?
What kind of terms would people need to be addressed with, to take this thing seriously? Here is a teaching aid. A hand has five fingers. If somebody comes along and chops off one of those fingers, what’s the problem? After all, you still have four left. Or what if a friend who owes you $5,000, hands you $4,000, and asks, “Are we good?”

🍎National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

No, we are not good. If one fifth of America’s children are too heavy to be healthy, it’s definitely a situation. These kids will probably wind up with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and/or heart disease — if they don’t suffer from those or other conditions already.
Repeatedly, journalists and thought influencers pound away at the horrible fiscal reality. Obesity-related costs just devastate public health budgets. Even the most enlightened countries, with the most highly refined sense of responsibility for the greatest public good are floored by the crushing expense of medical care.
Of course, officials have to talk about the cost of the obesity epidemic, because they are in charge of spending the people’s money, and they have to put it to good use. Talking about money is part of the public servants’ job, and really, all citizens should think about how our actions affect the tax burden. Big numbers attract people’s attention, and can even be said to raise awareness.
Sometimes we forget to consider the personal ramifications of this problem. One child in five copes with the side effects of obesity, whether it’s strictly personal, like sweating in inconvenient places, or painfully apparent, like being teased or bullied.

🍎Early care and education

The Administration for Children and Families is a government body concerned with early care and education. Children who are in day care are essentially in a second home, a place where they eat, nap, play, and learn to relate to others. The providers of early care and education in these settings are charged with exercising the same level of care that ideally would be practiced by the best parents for the sake of their own children.
Care providers are urged to collaborate with other community programs; figure out ways to incorporate the most movement into teaching; talk with kids about what they are eating and let them in on the preparation if possible. Even such concepts as hand-washing are sometimes necessary to include.
As always, it is important to remember that the younger a child is when a habit is acquired, the better it will stick. And the younger a child is when she or he crosses the line into obesity, the harder it is to shake off.

Blogger: Egypt Assanti
ESD Baroness
(aka) Big Sister Southern Heat 🍎

💝Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

( Wear Gold) Help make a difference to the lives of children with cancer. September 2018 is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and is symbolised by a gold ribbon, worn to commemorate the event. This is an annual international awareness month to raise support, funding and awareness of childhood cancers and the impact for sufferers and families of sufferers of childhood cancer. It was founded in 2010 by former US President Barack Obama and is mainly run in the form of awareness events by cancer charities.

Childhood cancer is devastating to growth and development in children, and devastating to their families and friends. At a time when young people should be focusing on school, play and socialising, if they have cancer, their focus can be on medication, operations, and what life they have left.

Parents of childhood cancer sufferers have the anguish of watching their children suffer, and the stress of decisions on medications and treatments as well as decisions on time of work for themselves and time off school for the child, and worst, trying to explain to a child what is happening to them and answering the resulting questions on life and faith, and worst of all is the loss of a child to cancer, a devastation that can never be put right.
Some forms of cancer are mainly or exclusively only seen in children, and that is something highlighted by the awareness month. Children can be more resilient to cancer and cancer treatments than adults, and there are many cases of triumph and complete recovery, where children make a complete recovery and grow up to normal life. But awareness, education and support are vital, which is why Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is also vital.

💝10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CHILDHOOD CANCER

1. Childhood cancer is the number one disease killer of children in the U.S.
It’s the second leading cause of death (following accidents) in children ages 5-14.

2. Every two minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer.

3. The average age of a child diagnosed with cancer is 6.
But you don’t have to be a child to be diagnosed with childhood cancer. Childhood cancer is diagnosed in all ages, from newborn infants to children and young adults.

4. 80% of children diagnosed with cancer are in developing countries.Childhood cancer is a global problem, and one institution can’t solve it alone. That’s why we fund the very best research, no matter where it takes place.

5. The most common childhood cancer is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
In the 1950s, almost every kid with ALL died. But today, thanks to childhood cancer research, about 90% of children with ALL will survive.

6. In 80% of kids with cancer, the cancer has already spread to other areas of the body by the time it is diagnosed.That’s why so many children with cancer need to begin treatment right away. Many adult cancers can be diagnosed early.

7. Much of what we know about treating adult cancers has been learned from childhood cancer research. 
Some aspects of cancer treatment today, such as combination chemotherapy, can be traced to pediatric cancer research.

8. There are over a dozen types of childhood cancer and hundred of different subtypes.
The more rare types, when added together, account for about 30% of cancers in children and adolescents. But because so few children are diagnosed with each type, it’s very difficult to do research on these cancers.

9. One in five children diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. will not survive.For the ones who do, the battle is never over.

10. Because of the treatments they had as kids, more than 99% of childhood cancer survivors will have a chronic health problem and 96% will have severe or life-threatening conditions.

💝By the time they’re 50 years old, survivors of childhood cancer experience about 5 severe or life-threatening chronic health conditions on average.
Children should not only survive, but thrive. 

Types

💝The most common cancers in children are (childhood) leukemia (32%), brain tumors (18%), and lymphomas (11%). In 2005, 4.1 of every 100,000 young people under 20 years of age in the U.S. were diagnosed with leukemia, and 0.8 per 100,000 died from it. The number of new cases was highest among the 1–4 age group, but the number of deaths was highest among the 10–14 age group.

In 2005, 2.9 of every 100,000 people 0–19 years of age were found to have cancer of the brain or central nervous system, and 0.7 per 100,000 died from it. These cancers were found most often in children between 1 and 4 years of age, but the most deaths occurred among those aged 5–9.^[10] The main subtypes of brain and central nervous system tumors in children are: astrocytoma, brain stem glioma, craniopharyngioma, desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma, ependymoma, high-grade glioma, medulloblastoma and atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor.
Other, less common childhood cancer types are:

• Neuroblastoma (6%, nervous system)
• Wilms tumor (5%, kidney)
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (4%, blood)
• Childhood rhabdomyosarcoma (3%, many sites)
• Retinoblastoma (3%, eye)
• Osteosarcoma (3%, bone cancer)
• Ewing sarcoma (1%, many sites)
• Germ cell tumors (5%, many sites)
• Pleuropulmonary blastoma (lung or pleural cavity)
• Hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer)

💝 Wear Gold, and join the fight against Childhood cancer

Blogger: Egypt Assanti

ESD Baroness

(aka) Big Sister Southern Heat 💝

🤦‍♀️ PCOS Awareness Month 🤦‍♀️

Before getting into the facts about what PCOS is let me just tell you a little facts about me. When I  was pregnant and was having a lot of different issues in my pregnancy starting with my hormone levels, to bleeding at a lot of different points in my pregnancy, to high blood pressure to ending up with preeclampsia, to finding out I had poly-cystic cyst that the doctors swore to me would go away on it's on, I knew something wasn't right. After the birth of my son, my menstrual was never the same, sometimes I got my menstrual and sometimes it wouldn't come for months. When it did come the longest it lasted was a month and a half and I bled so bad that now to this day I am anemic. During that time test was done on me and I kept getting the run around about what need to happen versus what was going on. Recently, I found another doctor and began the testing again and I found out I had PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and of course I had no idea what it was except that it was something that was causing problems in my everyday life.  Mostly all of the symptoms listed below I had and it is no fun living with this. A lot of people do not know about this and the fact of how many women actually suffers from it. I chose to do this blog because it represents me and I had a chance to give my voice on it and to educate other women. I wear teal for me because I will continue to fight it. 

What is PCOS?

Polycystic (pah-lee-SIS-tik) ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a health problem that can affect a woman's:

• Menstrual cycle
• Ability to have children
• Hormones
• Heart
• Blood vessels
• Appearance

With PCOS, women typically have:

• High levels of androgens (AN-druh-junz). These are sometimes called male hormones, though females also make them.
• Missed or irregular periods (monthly bleeding)
• Many small cysts (sists) (fluid-filled sacs) in their ovaries

What is the cause of PCOS?

The cause of PCOS is unknown. But most experts think that several factors, including genetics, could play a role. Women with PCOS are more likely to have a mother or sister with PCOS.

A main underlying problem with PCOS is a hormonal imbalance. In women with PCOS, the ovaries make more androgens than normal. Androgens are male hormones that females also make. High levels of these hormones affect the development and release of eggs during ovulation.

Researchers also think insulin may be linked to PCOS. Insulin is a hormone that controls the change of sugar, starches, and other food into energy for the body to use or store. Many women with PCOS have too much insulin in their bodies because they have problems using it. Excess insulin appears to increase production of androgen. High androgen levels can lead to:

• Acne
• Excessive hair growth
• Weight gain
• Problems with ovulation

Want to know if you possibly have PCOS? Check out the symptoms

The symptoms of PCOS can vary from woman to woman. Some of the symptoms of PCOS include:

• Infertility (not able to get pregnant) because of not ovulating. In fact, PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility 
• Infrequent, absent, and/or irregular menstrual periods
• Hirsutism (HER-suh-tiz-um) — increased hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes
• Cysts on the ovaries
• Acne, oily skin, or dandruff
• Weight gain or obesity, usually with extra weight around the waist
• Male-pattern baldness or thinning hair
• Patches of skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs that are thick and dark brown or black
• Skin tags — excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area
• Pelvic pain
• Anxiety or depression
• Sleep apnea — when breathing stops for short periods of time while asleep

How can you get tested?

There is no single test to diagnose PCOS. Your doctor will take the following steps to find out if you have PCOS or if something else is causing your symptoms.

• Medical history. Your doctor will ask about your menstrual periods, weight changes, and other symptoms.
• Physical exam. Your doctor will want to measure your blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and waist size. He or she also will check the areas of increased hair growth. You should try to allow the natural hair to grow for a few days before the visit.
• Pelvic exam. Your doctor might want to check to see if your ovaries are enlarged or swollen by the increased number of small cysts.
• Blood tests. Your doctor may check the androgen hormone and glucose (sugar) levels in your blood.
• Vaginal ultrasound (sonogram). Your doctor may perform a test that uses sound waves to take pictures of the pelvic area. It might be used to examine your ovaries for cysts and check the endometrium (en-do-MEE-tree-uhm) (lining of the womb). This lining may become thicker if your periods are not regular.

What are some risks with having PCOS?

Women with PCOS have greater chances of developing several serious health conditions, including life-threatening diseases. Recent studies found that:

• More than 50 percent of women with PCOS will have diabetes or pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance) before the age of 40.
• The risk of heart attack is 4 to 7 times higher in women with PCOS than women of the same age without PCOS.
• Women with PCOS are at greater risk of having high blood pressure.
• Women with PCOS have high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.
• Women with PCOS can develop sleep apnea. This is when breathing stops for short periods of time during sleep.

Women with PCOS may also develop anxiety and depression. It is important to talk to your doctor about treatment for these mental health conditions.

Women with PCOS are also at risk for endometrial cancer. Irregular menstrual periods and the lack of ovulation cause women to produce the hormone estrogen, but not the hormone progesterone. Progesterone causes the endometrium (lining of the womb) to shed each month as a menstrual period. Without progesterone, the endometrium becomes thick, which can cause heavy or irregular bleeding. Over time, this can lead to endometrial hyperplasia, when the lining grows too much, and cancer.

Get educated and get informed.

Signing out

Destiny Santiago aka Big Sister On Point

http://www.pcosaa.org/pcos-overview/

🚑 Sickle Cell Awareness Month 🚑

This is a month that is dear to me but before we go into that, let me just explain to everyone just exactly what is Sickle Cell Disease, who it affects and why is it so important that we try to help to find some kind of solution or cure.

What is Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)?
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a condition that affects people around the world. Due to the serious health problems associated with SCD there is a need to know more about the disease.

Among those with SCD, their red blood cells become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a "sickle". The sickle-shaped cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells. When a person doesn't have enough red blood cells, they have a condition called anemia. Also, when these misshaped blood cells travel through small blood vessels, they can get stuck and clog the blood flow. Whenever this happens, it results in severe pain and organ damage and can cause serious infections.

People with SCD can live productive lives and enjoy most of the activities that people without SCD do. These are some things that people with SCD can do to stay as healthy as possible:

• Get regular checkups. Regular health checkups with a primary care doctor can help prevent some serious problems.
• Prevent infections. Common illnesses, like influenza quickly can become dangerous for a child with SCD. The best defense is to take simple steps to help prevent infections. 
   
• Learn healthy habits.People with SCD should drink 8 to 10 glasses of water every day and eat healthy food. They also should try not to get too hot, too cold, or too tired.
• Look for clinical studies.New clinical research studies are happening all the time to find better treatments and, hopefully, a cure for SCD. People who take part in these studies might have access to new medicines and treatments.
• Get support. People with SCD should find a patient support group or other organization in the community that can provide information, assistance, and support.

However, there are also stages to this disease and those with the more severe stage find it hard to participate in everyday lives because going through Sickle Cell "Crisis" also cause organ damage and this also affects the person's quality of life.

How do you get it?

People who inherit one sickle cell gene and one normal gene have sickle cell trait (SCT). People with SCT usually do not have any of the symptoms of sickle cell disease (SCD), but they can pass the trait on to their children.

SCT is diagnosed with a simple blood test. People at risk of having SCT can talk with a doctor or health clinic about getting this test.

How Sickle Cell Trait is Inherited

• If both parents have SCT, there is a 50% (or 1 in 2) chance that any child of theirs also will have SCT, if the child inherits the sickle cell gene from one of the parents. Such children will not have symptoms of SCD, but they can pass SCT on to their children.

• If both parents have SCT, there is a 25% (or 1 in 4) chance that any child of theirs will have SCD. There is the same 25% (or 1 in 4) chance that the child will not have SCD or SCT.

-- Know your body especially before having children. Although I do not have the disease, I deal with this on a very regular basis due to someone in my family. This disease is lethal and very painful. It causes organ damage and failure and leads to death. I am being blunt because it's just that serious. 

If you know someone in your life with the disease then you understand what I am saying.

Every year Eta Sigma Delta does their annual Greek Homecoming which is a set of week long events, while this is fun it is also to serve for a very important cause, Sickle Cell Awareness. We raise money to donate in the hopes of one day they will find more effective ways to help our loved ones. Help in the cause... This year those events will be held from September 24th - September 29th. 

Signing off

Destiny Santiago M.D. aka. Big Sister On Point