Kids @ Kingston
Compiled by our MCH & Immunisation Nurses
Issue
No 10
There are
alternatives to
hitting
children
When we lose control,
we want to lash out
at someone and sadly,
many of us take it
out on our children.
Children are dependent upon adults for care and protec-
tion and should not be subjected to physical violence.
Stop and think!. Step back, sit down.
Put your child in a safe place (cot, room) and leave for
a few moments.
Count to 20, or 100 — say the alphabet out loud.
Walk around your home, go outside until you calm down.
Make yourself a warm drink.
Put on your favourite music or radio program.
Pull weeds out of your garden, water the pot plants.
If your child is old enough, explain why you are angry.
Good discipline means working with your child
not against them Children learn by example. If you hit them, they will
think it’s ok to hit too.
Their playing could re-
flect this.
Hitting people is wrong,
and children are people
too.
Misbehaviour occurs
for a variety of
reasons To gain attention—Does the child want your attention
any way she can get it?
To express needs—Is the child trying to tell you she
is bored, frustrated or lonely?
To assert power—Is the child trying to see how far
she can push you?
Inability to control emotions and actions—Is the
child developmentally able to meet your expectations?
Coping with challenging behaviours Many people see punishment as the answer to children’s
misbehaviour. Consider this:
Punishment means getting a child to do the right thing
by doing something unpleasant to them if they don’t.
Children will continue to misbehave as long as there is no
risk of being caught. As adults, isn't it our job to guide
children to behave in an acceptable way, to develop self-
control and a sense of right and wrong — which is what
prevents the misbehaviour from occurring? Children
should learn to behave appropriately because of the
implications to others, not because of the threats of
punishment. Punishment is a temporary halt to the
behaviour.
Positive guidance techniques
Use positive language. Use ‘do’ rather than ‘don’t’. eg:
‘We walk inside’ rather than ‘Don’t run inside’.
Redirect children to more appropriate experiences.
Eg: a child who is throwing toys could be given a ball to
throw outside.
Show children what they should do—not just what they
shouldn’t.
Explain reasons for asking them to do things.
‘Because I say so’ teaches nothing for next time.
Try to avoid nagging—the more you nag, the less they’ll
listen.
When children do something wrong. EXPLAIN the
mistake and how to put things right.
Think about whether limits are necessary. Are they
for your benefit or the child’s? eg: Are you expecting
the child to have a sleep because they need it or
because you need a break?
Have expectations that are age appropriate. Eg: It is
inappropriate to expect children to share under the
age of 3 years.
Sandra McGowan
Your child and secondhand smoke Smoking inside the house and around a baby or child exposes
them to secondhand smoke.
Secondhand smoke increases the risk of many
illnesses: Croup
Bronchitis
Pneumonia
Middle ear infection
SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)
Asthma
Smoking around a baby or child can have long
term effects: Hearing loss
Slower growth
Learning and behavioural problems.
Infants and children should not be exposed to
secondhand smoke anywhere they spend time. Don’t let anyone smoke near your baby or child—not in
the house, the car, outside or anywhere else they spend
time.
Ask relatives, carers and friends not to smoke around
your child.
Protect your baby or child from secondhand smoke even
if you still smoke.
Make your home and car smoke free.
If you breastfeed and you smoke: Don't smoke before or during feeds
Don't smoke near your baby
NAPCAN
VicHealth
Home made Cheese Biscuits 175g Reduced fat grated tasty cheese
100g Rice flour
50g ground almonds
20g Margarine
Method
Rub margarine into the rice and ground almonds and
add the cheese.
Add a little water if req to make into a stiff dough.
Roll out onto a floured surface and cut into shapes.
Bake at 180 C for 10-15 mins or until golden.
Makes approx 24 biscuits Better Health Channel
Childhood bedwetting
happens in many families.
While a lot of children
grow out of wetting the
bed by the time they start
school.
Many children of primary school-age still wet the bed.
Most children stop daytime wetting by about three
years of age and wetting at night by the time they are
five. Most preschoolers will still wet their bed from
time to time.
Bedwetting is nobody’s fault. It is not caused by laziness
or done to get attention. Many children who wet the
bed produce more urine at night than others, due to a
low level of a hormone which controls how much urine is
made while the child is asleep.
Often bedwetting runs in the family and you may find
that dad, mum, uncle or aunt used to wet the bed.
If a child who has been dry starts to wet the bed again
it is important to have a medical check to see if there is
an infection or other health problem.
Reassure children that bedwetting is normal, there is
nothing to be ashamed about, and they will grow out of
it in time. It can be very helpful for them to know if
someone else in the family used to wet the bed.
Do not limit how much your child drinks during the day
or evening. Children need to have at least five or six
drinks every day. Soft drinks that contain caffeine are
not a good idea because they increase the amount of
urine produced and children need to go to the toilet
more often. Some parents find it helpful to take their child to the
toilet two or three hours after they goes to sleep. For
others, this doesn’t work.
To help save washing—Cover the mattress with plastic,
put thick underpants or ‘pull-ups’ on your child or leave
a soft light on so its easier and safer for them to go to
the toilet.
If your child is over seven, he may be helped by a
bladder training program and/or a bell/alarm program.
These programs are often successful and you can find
out more about them from your local community health
centre, pharmacy or GP.
Don’t punish, criticise or tease your child and don’t let
others do this to your child. This can make children
tense and anxious and make the problem worse. Help your child feel as comfortable as possible about
going to school camps and sleepovers. They should be
encouraged not to miss out on these fun times.
Teachers are used to dealing with these situations
and can deal with it without embarrassing the child. Raising Children/Bedwetting
Portable cots
Second-hand and heirloom cots Second-hand and heirloom cots can be a hazard to
children because:
The spacing between the bars may be too wide and
trap a child’s head or may be too narrow and trap a
child’s arms or legs.
Older, painted cots may be painted with lead paint
that the child may chew on and swallow when they
are teething.
The corners of the cot can catch on the child’s
clothes and create a strangulation hazard.
Safety at home do’s and don't’s
Do not use a portable cot if your child weighs
more than 15 kg (check instructions for your
particular model)
Check all locking devices are properly latched
before putting a child in the cot. Stop using
the cot if your child is able to release the
locking devices and collapse it.
Do not put pillows or an additional mattress in
a portable cot. Babies can become trapped
between the mattress and cot sides and may
suffocate. Older children may use the extra
height to help them climb out.
Check vinyl or fabric-covered rails frequently
for rips– a teething child can chew off pieces
and choke.
Remove all toys from the cot when the child is
sleeping.
Repair tears in mesh or fabric immediately.
Regularly check locking devices to ensure they
are operating properly.
Keep the portable cot clear of curtain or blind
cords as they are strangulation hazard.
Keep the cot away from heaters, stoves and
power points. Keeping baby safe /Australian & Consumer Commission
Bed wetting
Tuna and Potato Patties 500g potatoes
1/2 cup milk
325g canned tuna in brine,
1 spring onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs,
1/4 cup olive oil (60ml)
1 egg
Method
Boil potatoes until tender. Cool.
Place potatoes in a bowl, add milk and mash with a fork.
Mix in tuna, green onion, parsley, egg and breadcrumbs.
Shape into 30 patties.
Heat oil in a large frying pan and cook until golden and
crisp on both sides.
Drain on absorbent paper and serve.
What to do
Immunisation
Rotavirus study In Australia, it is estimated in children less than five years of age
that there are approximately 10,000 hospitalisations, 115,000 GP
visits, 22,000 emergency department visits and one death due to
rotavirus each year.
The Murdoch Institute is responsible for monitoring the Rotateq vaccination. Their two year study of 72,000
babies showed the following data:-
Dramatic decrease in gastroenteritis
Hospitalisations rate reduction—96%
Emergency Hospital visits rate reduction—94%
Visits to GP rate reduction—86%
Parental loss of work reduction—87%
The National Immunisation Program Schedule provides free
oral rotavirus vaccine to infants aged two, four and six months of
age.
Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis in
infants and young children in Australia.
Children can be infected with rotavirus several times during
their lives, and almost every child will suffer at least one infec-
tion by the age of three years. It is easily spread from one child
to the next. Symptoms range from mild, watery diarrhoea to se-
vere, dehydrating diarrhoea with vomiting, fever, and shock.
Oral rotavirus immunisation Oral rotavirus vaccine is the best way to protect infants and children against rotavirus disease. The vaccine will
not prevent diarrhoea and vomiting caused by other infections but is very good at preventing severe diarrhoea
and vomiting caused by rotavirus.
In Victoria, the oral (swallowed by mouth) rotavirus vaccine used is called RotaTeq®. RotaTeq® is a ‘live’ weakened
virus vaccine. The vaccination course of RotaTeq® consists of three doses and is recommended to be given at the
same time as other vaccines included on the National Immunisation Program at two, four and six months of age.
There is a small chance of catching a rotavirus infection even after receiving the vaccine. However, if this
happens, it would usually be a much milder illness than if your child had not been immunised.
The first dose of RotaTeq® should be given no later than 12 weeks of age and the third dose should be giv-
en by 32 weeks of age.
www.health.vic.gov/immunisation