checkup

PS hm kids
^ ^ ^ ^ O ^ ^ = = BY HOLLY PEVZNER

Should I add
protein powder to
my kids'morning
smoothies?
A: A boost of protein at breakfast
can help keep your kid full and
focused until lunch, but skip the

r
powder! Blend in protein-packed
fare like yogurt and nut butter
instead. "Protein in whole food
comes in forms and amounts that
your child's body can process more
easily," explains Rachel Meltzer
Warren, R.D., author of The Smart
Even This Smile Girl's Guide to Going Vegetarian.
"Plus, protein supplements aren't

Needs Brushing! strictly regulated, so you never

know exactly what you're getting."

t's never too early to protect your little Power up at breakfast by

one's pearly whites. The American Dental incorporating these
high-protein whole foods
Association now recommends using into your child's meal.
fluoride toothpaste as soon as that first
tooth pops. (For decades, fluoride was rec-
Greek yogurt 11 g per V cup
ommended only for kids 2 and up.) In small
Tofu 10 g per'/i cup
doses, the mineral can help keep baby teeth
Peanut butter 8 g per 2 Tbsp
strong and decay-free from the very begin- 7 g per 2 Tbsp
Almond butter
ning, says Mary Hayes, D.D.S., an ADA spokes- Soy milk 6 g per cup
person on pdiatrie dentistry. Brush twice Kefir 6 g per'/ cup
daily with a kids' fluoride toothpaste that has
the ADA seal of approval. And remember, a
little goes a long way: All you need is a dab of
. JiS
paste the size of a grain of rice. 3.?
 checkup

Personalized Care for Kids

Your doc will no doubt check the basics at your child's next physical. But depend-
ing on your kid, you may want additional tests, says David L. Hill, M.D., an adjunct
assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
If your little one falls into the categories below, consider additional screening.

IF YOUR CHILD IS HAVE YOUR M.D. CHECK WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

Cholesterol, blood The American Academy of Pediatrics

fy : L
sugar, and liver enzyme
levels with a single blood
draw. (Results can be
rhore accurate when
recommends that all overweight children
age 10 and up have these tests every two
years. Make sure to get your child's Body
Mass Index number and, if it is above the
#
^\
Overweight
kids fast prior.) 85th percentile, talk with your doctor
about how to promote a healthy weight. '^\t
For depression, with a Studies have shown that these types
mental health evaluation. of screening tools can accurately
CThe pediatrician will ask identify depression in children and lead
your child questions like to earlyand effectivetreatment.
Frequently "In the past two weeks,
experiencing have you felt lonely?")
changes in mood

43%
Iron levels, with a Kids who shy away from iron- and
finger-prick test protein-rich veggies, nuts, and meats
may be at an elevated risk for iron
and other nutritional deficiencies.
Though symptoms aren't always easy
A very picky to spot, they may inciude fatigue
eater and a decreased appetite. The estimated
decline in
obesity among
Halt Hearing Loss toddlers and
preschoolers
Listen up: One in six teens has sonne degree of avoidable hearing
loss, according to a new study. Yikes! There's no time like the
present to start protecting your little one's ears, says Deepa
over the past
Sekhar, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics at Penn State
College of Medicine in Hershey, PA. Here, she tells us how:
10 years,
decibels. (Try some on noise by, say, gonna get loud (like
according to
PICK THE RIGHT
HEADPHOHES from Gearforkidz listening to music at a concert or some a study in
Opt for over-the-ear .com.) You can also while playing loud sporting events). A
ones rather than limit the volume on video games. Tell protective muff to The Journal of
earbuds. Also Apple devices using them to choose one! consider: Baby Banz
consider buying the settings. Hearing Protector the American
volume-control
headphones that DON'T MULTITASK
BLOCK OUT NOISE
Hearing protection is
Earmuffs (Amazon
.com, $22). Or try
Medical
keep tunes below 85 Many kids double up a must when it's basic earplugs. Association.
26 SCHOLASTIC.COM/PARENTANDCHILD | MAY 2014
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