Our Parenting

Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby

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Yup, we are going there. A subject that makes a lot of parents (and their teenagers, too!) squirm. But, it’s a fact of life, and you should be talking to them about it. Because like it or not, there’s information everywhere. Good AND bad. And just like we talked to them about staying away from strangers, it’s our job as parents, to give them the right information so they can make the right decisions when it comes to sex. So, let’s delve into it.

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Norovirus Infection – The Stomach Flu

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Norovirus

What is Norovirus?

Norovirus is the name for a group of viruses which cause acute gastroenteritis, aka “The Stomach Flu”. According to the CDC, Norovirus causes between 19-21 MILLION cases of the illness each year in the US and is the #1 cause of vomiting and diarrheal illness in the US. Anyone can contract the illness and unfortunately a person can become ill with the same virus more than once and up to 5 times in a lifetime. Cooler months are the peak time for Norovirus infections. Norovirus is not Influenza; influenza is a respiratory illness and Norovirus is a stomach and intestinal illness. The flu vaccine does not prevent this illness.

Symptoms:

The illness typically begins with acute onset of nausea and vomiting with diarrhea following soon afterward. The vomiting phase of the illness typically lasts 12-24 hours with frequent, up to every 20-30 minutes, of vomiting. Some people can have just diarrhea, while others will be hit with many symptoms. Below is a table of common symptoms of Norovirus infections:

Contagion

Norovirus is HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS!!! A sick individual can shed BILLIONS of viral particles while ill. Unfortunately, it can take as little as 18 viral particles to infect someone!!!

Someone ill with Norovirus is contagious from the moment they start to feel ill up to 3 days following the onset of illness. Some people can shed the virus for up to 2 weeks following the illness but it is not clear if they remain contagious the entire time.

The virus is found in vomit and stool and spreads very easily from hand to mouth. You can contract the illness from:

  • Eating contaminated food
  • Touching surfaces or objects with the virus on them
  • Direct contact with a sick person.

The time from exposure to onset of illness, incubation period, is 12-48 hours!

Treatment

There are no vaccines or medications to treat the illness so treatment is supportive while your immune system fights off the illness.

While ill, it is important to drink small quantities, about 1/2 oz, of clear fluid like Pedialyte, low calorie sports drink, oral rehydration fluid or clear juice frequently. Popsicles are an easy way to take in small amounts of fluid over time. Keep drinking small amounts even though the vomiting continues as there is absorption of the fluids which will prevent dehydration. Once the vomiting has resolved, slow advancement of the diet to soft foods is ok.

What not to do while still vomiting:

  • Drink a lot of fluid at once
  • Stop drinking
  • Eat food
  • Leave the house

When to bring your child to the doctor

Bring your child to the doctor if your child has been vomiting for more than 24 hours and is refusing to drink liquids, is too listless to drink or has not urinated at least twice in 24 hours. Please do not bring your child to the doctor when the vomiting starts as the virus can easily spread to many others. Call us if you have questions – our nurses would be happy to talk with you to see if it is appropriate to come into the office or stay home.

Prevention

Preventing exposure is critical to both prevention and containment of the illness. The most important preventive measure is GOOD HAND HYGIENE!

Here are some prevention tips:

  • Wash your hands with hot/warm water and soap. Be meticulous with getting all  parts of you hands and fingers.
  • Alcohol based sanitizers are ok if soap and water are not available but they do  not eliminate Norovirus from your hands.
  • Do not prepare food when ill.
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces using a bleach-based cleaner. If you don’t have a bleach cleaner, make your own with 1 1/2 cup bleach in 1 gallon of water.
  • Wash all contaminated clothes and linens immediately. Handle them carefully and use rubber gloves if available. Use the maximum available cycle length and at least hot water cycle if you can.

DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO DAYCARE OR SCHOOL FOR AT LEAST 48 HOURS !!!

DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO DAYCARE OR SCHOOL IF THEY VOMITED DURING THE NIGHT AND THEY FEEL BETTER IN THE MORNING; HE/SHE IS STILL CONTAGIOUS!!!

20/20 Hindsight

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Welcome Spring!  After a long and crazy Rochester winter it is always such a treat to see the flowers bloom and the lilac bushes emerge in Highland Park.  The promise of new life is the happy hallmark of spring.  At Legacy Pediatrics, we have been truly blessed with the birth of many new babies that have joined our Legacy family in the last month or so. Dear families, please know that it is our greatest honor to care for your children and accompany you on this amazing journey that is parenthood.

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Putting Play back into Fitness

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When I think back to my childhood, I immediately think about all the time I spent outside exploring the world around me. I remember the walks I would take, the trees I would climb, and the playgrounds I frequented. My favorite was this massive wooden playground that was more fortress to my young eyes than a playground. It had giant turrets, walls and ramps, caves and tunnels…everything! I remember playing with my friends and coming up with new challenges like, “Hey, can we climb through this tunnel without touching the ground?” Or, “I wonder if we can travel all the way around the structure by climbing on the outside…”

Questions like those are the ones that fuel our movement in play; They fuel our quest to discover our boundaries and test our limits. But even more than that, I remember how places like the fortress afforded us the privilege of a blank canvas that only suggested what its intention was, rather than strictly telling us. A ramp winding around the turret was merely suggesting that we could walk up it, while the low and accessible walls to the sides of it hinted that they could also be climbed over, onto, or balanced on.

Having grown up and done extensive research on exercise science, fitness, and devoting over a decade of my life into the emerging field of movement based fitness, when I remember my time spent on these cool playgrounds, I think all the different variations and varieties of movement patterns I had to perform. I think we as a modern society have forgotten that play was our first means of non-essential fitness enhancement. Playing around doesn’t put food on the table or put a roof over your head, but when those things are already attended to, how else will your highly adapted body continue to ensure that you can lift heavy things when you need to, or run away from something when you need to, or climb something when you need to.

We were recently sent this article by one of our members from the Washington Post regarding the recent surge in ADHD diagnoses and it instantly reminded us about why we work so hard to keep the Rochester Parkour Gym open: modern society either doesn’t recognize the importance of play or simply can’t afford the liability associated with public free play. Both reasons are a shame, but the latter is even more than that. Growing liability costs associated with public play spaces are the reason why the beloved fortress of my childhood is no longer there (and also why wooden playscapes and metal jungle gyms in general are no longer built).

State-based Prevalence Data of ADHD Diagnosis (2011-2012): Children CURRENTLY diagnosed with ADHD (Centers for Disease Control)

The playscapes we find in the wild today are strange in comparison to the fortress. They’re bright and colorful, for one, and filled with a soft, squishy ground designed to keep kids from getting hurt. As business owners, spaces like these make a lot of sense. Not only do they lower our liability insurance bills, but they also allow us to higher less educated supervisors and we can up our volume load to let as many kids in as possible. As movement fitness and play specialists, however, this shift in the industry is scary…

When we look at new-designed playgrounds, bounce houses, trampoline parks, and others, we don’t see what’s on the surface. We see brightly colored, inorganic objects and we think of the cognitive disassociation that these kids are developing as the where and when play is allowed (are we only allowed to play in spaces that are squishy, soft, brightly colored, or otherwise?). We see soft and squishy objects and we think of all the improper and unhealthy movement habits that these kids are developing; It is downright shocking to us how many teenagers step foot in our classes and don’t know how to climb with their hands and feet rather than their elbows and knees. We see the inexperienced staff as further re-affirmation of habitual movement patterns that will limit and spawn a whole host of problems for your kids come adulthood – things like: landing on straight legs, running with buckled knees, running with flat feet, etc.

None of these issues are easy to see in the short term, but articles like the Washington Post article linked earlier are helping us to see that the over-abundance and overuse of these characteristics is not without consequence.

Interestingly, we didn’t start the Rochester Parkour Gym because of these reasons – we just naturally created a space that we were familiar with and one that we thought challenged us physically, mentally, and creatively. Initially, our focus was on just operating the space and letting people come in to use it freely as most bounce houses and trampoline parks do. As time went on though, and as we continued to see more and more evidence that the general public had forgotten how to interact with spaces such as ours, we began to shift focus to our current class-based model with a newly found mission to educate the community about the importance of play in rigid landscapes, of movement inspired by one’s creativity rather than demanded by the space they’re in, and of proper, experienced instruction on movement patterns that build our bodies stronger and healthier, rather than patterns that tear us apart, hard landing by hard landing.

We now stand in defiance of these trends and continue to be one of the few successful establishments doing what we do. Operating the way we do isn’t easy: our insurance costs are astronomical, our objects need to be custom-designed and custom built, our instructors and employees had to endure a 3 month long apprenticeship before given their first class, and because all of this, our prices are higher than most people wish they were. Rather than seeing these things as problems that need to be solved, we see them as necessary. These characteristics make us the endangered species that we are, but just like the African Rhino, the Himalayan Snow Leopard, or the Eastern Lowland Gorilla, rigid playscapes deserve to be recognized, cherished, and preserved for the value that they add into our lives.

Rochester Parkour – 1344 University Ave Suite 6000 – Rochester, NY – (585) 204.7537 – info@rochesterparkour.com

Getting started with us at Rochester Parkour is easy. We offer classes for kids and adults ages 3+ which work on an open enrollment platform. You will simply pre-enroll online ahead of time in order to reserve a slot in class. The curriculum for that day stands on its own and doesn’t work in a series. Even if you are the only new student in class that day, you will have a challenge level to tackle that is appropriate for you. Set up an account online here and come to your first class for only $20. You can view our other pricing options here.

About Our Guest Bloggers:

Nicole Suchy is the Administrative Manager and Program Coordinator for the Rochester Parkour Gym. A University of Rochester Alumna, Nicole holds Bachelors in Psychology and Studio Arts.  She runs our in house apprenticeship program and is also an instructor for a variety of classes here at the gym with over 5 years of parkour teaching experience.

Nicole appreciates the extensive diversity found in movement and loves bringing her dance background into her training.  Outside the gym, Nicole is also the founder and director of a local mural arts program, Make Your MARC.

 

 

Charles Moreland is the original co-founder of Rochester Parkour. He is an RIT alum with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art and Exercise Physiology.

He received his first Personal Trainer certification in 2007 from the NCSF and switched to the NSCA in 2009. Upon graduation in 2010, Charles obtained his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist title from the NSCA – a gold standard in the industry. With his extensive teaching background, Charles brings a unique, diverse, and research based approach to training.

Charles has been teaching parkour to the Rochester community since 2008 via the Manhattan Square Park Saturday jams and is one of the most experienced instructors in the State and the East Coast. In 2011, Charles was one of the featured speakers at the National Parkour Summit in Seattle, WA. In June 2012, Charles gave a TED talk introducing Parkour to the masses which has since gone viral and has more than 20,000 views worldwide.
Check out Charles’ trainer profile on his Thumbtack site for more information on his professional services.

 

Dealing with Change

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family-album

“The only constant in life is change” has been attributed to Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher so many years ago. Amazing how this is still pertinent today, in such different times. Regardless of the age, change is difficult for all of us. We become comfortable in some things and it is hard to break out of that comfort zone. I have been thinking a lot about this given my recent move to Legacy Pediatrics. The move was something I had been thinking about for some time…then the timing was just right. As difficult a decision as it was for me, I could not be happier in my new home! No matter how daunting a change may seem, what is scarier is regret.

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All for One, A Sport for All: The Olympic Sport of Fencing

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Fencing for RIO

I was an awkward kid. By awkward, I mean, I never graduated to the next level in swimming; I was a disaster in gymnastics; and I certainly wasn’t dainty enough to be a dancer. So, in an effort to get a strong and solid little girl to stay active and not to drive two kids to different activities, my parents signed me and my sister up for fencing. It was truly love at first lunge. Why fencing?

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Are You and Your Family “Fed Up?”

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With the New Year in full swing, many of you either are happily into your New Years resolutions or have woefully abandoned them. Or, you may be like me, and just never made one to begin with. Regardless, this time of year brings up a lot of talk about diet for those young and old.  And, as this is not physical season at Legacy Pediatrics when we tend to talk the most about proper nutrition and eating habits, it does tend to be the time of year when it is on people’s minds. So here are some of my thoughts and conversations that I end up having with parents and children when talking about nutrition.

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Keep Calm and Carry On

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Busy Family Calendar

Photo by Elf Sternberg

The holidays are upon us. Thanksgiving and Hanukkah came and went. Christmas Day is right around the corner, as is New Year’s. Time flies. There is no doubt the holidays can be stressful with the hustle and bustle. It’s supposed to be a time of joy, reflection, and happiness, but the long lines, traffic, and just not enough hours in the day admittedly get in the way sometimes. As the new year rapidly approaches, I find myself thinking about New Year’s resolutions. I know I’ve had my share. Some of my prior resolutions were to exercise more, volunteer more, be more patient with my husband and children. This year I hope to be more organized with my family calendar. Staying organized despite a busy family calendar is a challenge for me regardless of the season.

Keeping the family calendar is no small feat. Between extracurricular activities, work schedules, school events, and family get-togethers, this can be a lot for any parent to keep track of. Pre-planning and scheduling activities ahead of time is the key. When you receive the school calendar, document all of the school holidays, conference days, and events. Sports practices and games are good to get on the calendar as soon as you receive the schedule. Family birthday parties and special occasions are also good to schedule in advance. When other, unexpected activities come up, you will be able to schedule without hesitation.

Don’t be afraid to set some scheduling limits. Sometimes you need some down time, and so do your kids. This helps get some rest, clear your mind, and allow your kids some unstructured play. Limit the number of activities your kids participate in. Most kids want to join every sport team or every club.   Help them select the activities they want to do the most. One or two activities per season is a reasonable scheduling goal. This will allow them to participate in structured activities, while also allowing room to attend sleepovers and birthday parties, while staying healthy and rested. This also models for kids how to manage their own time as they get older, by prioritizing their goals.

Look over your calendar on a regular basis. There is no way to remember everything and checking the calendar routinely will help you to remember what’s coming up in the next few days. I sometimes have to look at my calendar multiple times a day to stay on top of activities. This helps to prevent double-booking, missing an activity or event, and even helps to feel more in control of your time.

Share your calendar. A family calendar should be monitored by THE FAMILY. Not just mom or dad. High school kids are more than capable of keeping an eye on their activities and planning accordingly. Of course, they will still need prompting and supervision. Paper calendars or personal organizers are great for keeping track, but may not be as accessible to an entire family. Online shared calendars work well. It’s important to use a trusted site that will protect your private family information. The iPhone Cloud allows families to share calendars.   OurFamilyWizard website and app not only schedules a busy family calendar, it also schedules parent-time for families with more than one home. If the kids are going to mom’s house on Tuesday, Mom is able to see their planned events and vice versa when the kids are at their dad’s home. It helps to clarify drop off and pick up, as well as upcoming school events and extracurricular activities.

No matter how you choose to stay sane with a busy family calendar, I wish you a happy and healthy 2016!