Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Saint Louis, MO

What Every Parent Should Know About H1N1 Flu

May 12, 2009

The H1N1 (Swine) Flu has garnered a lot of attention in the last few weeks. Our children hear conversations and catch headlines about pandemic flu scenarios that scare them and don't always know fact from fiction. As a parent, it is hard to wade through the stories and understand how to protect our families from illness and it is even harder for children to understand the situation. It is important to talk to school age children about the flu and reassure them that everything will probably be okay but teach the skills necessary to lessen the chances they will catch the flu. Because the flu was called "swine flu" when first identified, kids may get the mistaken idea that they can catch the flu from pigs or eating pork and you should reassure them that the virus isn't spread in this way. Also explain that even if family members catch the flu, they will most likely be fine since the virus appears to be more mild than previously thought. Of all the cases in the United States, there has only been one fatality and most people have fully recovered.

One of the most important things to do to prevent getting the flu is becoming educated on what flu symptoms are and how to avoid contracting the virus. For Missourians, the Missouri Department of Health's Web site is an informative resource for facts about the spread of the H1N1 Flu in the state. As of May 9th, there are 14 confirmed cases of H1N1 Flu in the state with 3 cases in St. Louis County and 3 more in St. Charles County. The Health Department page is updated daily with the latest figures and statistics as well as information on how to avoid contracting the virus. The national Center for Disease Control is also maintaining a Web site with the latest information on the latest flu information. There are nation-wide statistics, case counts by region and health information available through CDC Web site.

Tips on avoiding the new flu virus are the same for avoiding regular, seasonal flu viruses. Teach your children good health hygiene by instructing them to sneeze or cough into a tissue then throw it away. If a tissue is not available, kids should be taught to sneeze or cough into their elbow instead of on their hands. Hand washing is one of the most important things anyone can do to avoid contracting the virus. Kids should be taught not just to wash their hands  with soap but to wash them for the proper length of time. An easy way to teach this lesson is to tell them to sing Happy Birthday or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star while washing their hands and explain they aren't done washing until the song is finished. If soap and water are unavailable, alcohol based sanitizers like Purell are also useful for killing germs on hands.

What do you do if you or a family member gets sick? Recognize flu symptoms and learn when it is necessary to seek medical attention. H1N1 Flu symptoms are similar to seasonal flu symptoms and include: fever, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, body aches and headaches. At this point, doctors are advising people to stay home if they have flu symptoms and assuring that people don't need to go to the doctor when they begin to experience flu symptoms. As always, people should seek medical attention if they have problems breathing, a very high fever or other serious symptoms. The Missouri Department of Health page suggests staying home for seven days after symptoms arise and longer if the illness persists.

Any flu can be dangerous to young children or people with a compromised immune system so when in doubt, be cautious. Some school districts in other states closed in late April to slow the expected spread of this new flu. Since that time, the spread and severity of the H1N1 Flu appears to have slowed and school closings have decreased. Parents of students can often get information from the district at their web sites or through emails and text alerts. My son's elementary school has been sending home information updates and pushing hand-washing and proper sneezing/coughing techniques with students. If your child's school does decide to close to be cautious in avoiding the spread of the virus, reassure your child that classsmates and teachers will also be okay and the closing is just precautionary to keep everyone safe.

If I had $10,000

May 11, 2009

President Obama has issued a challenge to  develop cutting-edge plan to raise the quality of early learning programs. He wants states to improve early childhood education and better prepare young children for kindergarten to give students a head start in education. I would like to see Missouri answer this challenge by investing in preschool programs, particularly with "at risk" students. 

If I had just $10,000 to improve the local early childhood education programs in our area, I would use the money to reach out to families whose children are not currently enrolled in pre-school programs. In my district, preschool is not provided for children through the public schools so it is up to parents to prepare their children for kindergarten. Parents may not know that their children may be eligible for free preschool through the district if their child is delayed in an educational area. For example, a child with a speech delay may qualify to go to a district approved preschool at no cost with an Individual Education Plan. It would be great if every child could go to preschool at no cost but it is incredibly important to enroll the children who need it the most because intervening at an early age can prevent years of problems in later years.

To educate the community on the importance of preschool and the availability of financial assistance or free programs, I would advertise in local media and work with existing Parents as Teachers programs to get the word out to as many families as possible. I would also like to send home information to enrolled elementary students who may have younger brothers or sisters at home. If there was enough money, I would host a social for parents of preschool aged children and invite local preschools to present to parents and children in a fun and educational setting about why early childhood education is so important. 

Preschool is important to our local communities and as part of our national education plan. I hope Missouri will invest in early childhood education and answer the call to make dramatic changes to improve this area. By working together as a community and reaching out to the families of kids not enrolled in preschool, we can take a step in the right direction.

Mother's Day Weekend Round Up

May 07, 2009

It is a weekend to celebrate Mom! There are many great local places to spend time with Mom.

I know many local families who visit The Missouri Botanical Gardens on Mother's Day Weekend. The popular Doris Schnuck Children's Garden has reopened for the season for kids and adults to explore and play. Currently, there is a special promotion at the Children's Garden for free admission with a recept for paid admission to the St. Louis Zoo's Children's Zoo so you can enjoy two admissions for the price of one. As always, St. Louis City and County residents received free park and children's garden admission on Saturdays until noon.

Speaking of plants, Shaw Nature Reserve is hosting a spring plant sale from 9-4 on Saturday.  Native wildflowers, bushes, perennials and annuals will be sold along with birdhouses and local artwork. Local nurseries as well as the Nature Reserve will be participating in the sale. 

Another floral themed event this weekend is Florissant's Valley of the Flowers Festival. This three day festival includes parades, a car show carnival rides, vendors and more and is being held Thursday night through Sunday.

 The St. Louis Carousel in Chesterfield's Faust Park is free for all Moms on Mother's Day from 10:00-4:00 pm. Admission for kids and everyone else is still only one dollar. Faust Park is known for its Butterfly House but it also houses a great playground and historic path and village.