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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 20, 2007

Teach Your School About Allergies

Nuts. Class pets. Gym class. They sound innocent, but these items and activities at school can have hidden dangers for children with allergies or asthma.

More than 9 million children younger than 18 suffer from these conditions. Some are vulnerable to a food allergy, while others can suffer an asthmatic attack induced by exercise or pet dander, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

That's why the organization recommends that children and families become aware of common allergens and asthmatic triggers at school, including: dust mites, chalk dust, pollen and molds, exercise, insect stings and dander from a class pet or animal hair on someone's clothing.

Suggestions to minimize problems:

Have your child bring a lunch. Children with food sensitivities also should not share food with friends.

Tour the school to identify potential allergy or asthma triggers. Meet with teachers and the school nurse to discuss your child's condition.

Inform cafeteria staff and teachers of your child's food allergies. Advise physical education teachers and coaches about asthma and its warning signs.

Make sure your child has a dose of auto-injectable epinephrine handy and teachers and the school nurse know how to use it.

The Dallas Morning News

How Scared Should You Be About TB?

When an Atlanta man honeymooned in Europe in May while infected with tuberculosis, it set off an international health scare. Here are answers to frequently asked questions:

How do you get it: The disease is spread when people with TB in their lungs or throat cough, laugh, sneeze, sing or even talk, but it's not easy to become infected. Repeated contact is usually necessary in closed spaces over a long period. Transmission in an airplane, although rare, has been documented, according to the American Lung Association.

What are the symptoms: It's possible not to have any symptoms, but a person with TB may have a cough lasting three weeks or longer, fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, fever, coughing up blood, night sweats or chest pain. If you think you have been exposed, get a TB skin test.

Who's at risk People with HIV; people in close contact with TB-infected people; diabetics; people who work or live in nursing homes, prisons and other long-term care facilities; health care workers; and people who are malnourished.

The Miami Herald

Make Fitness Fun For Kids

While the fitness industry is devising new ways to get children active, parents and instructors should be mindful that a "workout" for a child is different from that of an adult.

"One common mistake that is made in the industry is that programs designed for kids treat them like they were mini-adults when they aren't, either mentally or physically," says Jonathan Ross, a personal training and fitness consultant in Washington and the American Council on Exercise's personal trainer of the year.

Here is a list of Ross' "dos and don'ts" for fitness programs for kids:

If working with a trainer, a child has to be mature enough to follow instructions. A 3-year-old, for example, wouldn't do well in a class where his parent wasn't present to supervise and discipline.

Stay away from heavier resistance training and concentrate on mostly free weights. Do activities such as squats, push-ups or lunges that work large muscle groups and require multi-joint movement.

Train for skill first, strength next and then endurance. A high level of fun is a must and can be achieved by adding fitness toys, including balance disks and multicolored balls.

Be careful with aerobic training because children have smaller hearts that have to beat much faster in order to get a benefit from the exercise. Instead of sustained aerobic activity, aim for games that involve running and stopping or chasing.

The Denver Post

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