Subscribe to RSS feed

Mar
22

What is an MRI?

by chris

My friend Tommy was sick a few weeks ago and his mom had to take him to the hospital. While he was at the hospital, Tommy found out that he needed to have something called an MRI performed. Tommy didn’t know what an MRI was, but since I had one once before, I told Tommy why he didn’t need to worry.

An MRI is a large machine. It stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, which is a fancy way to say a big magnet with radio waves that takes pictures. It can be scary at first, but remember all the MRI is doing is taking a picture of the inside of your body so the doctors can determine what is wrong.

All you have to do is lie very still, like a statue, and wait for the MRI to finish taking pictures. Sometimes an MRI can be loud, so you have to wear headphones. MRI’s can take as long as an hour. That’s less than the length of most movies, but when it is all over, the doctors will have a better idea of how to make you feel better.

I know when I had my MRI, I was a little nervous at first. But once it was over I realized there was nothing to be afraid of.

Tags:

Comments Off

Nov
11

The Five Senses!

by chris

When I walked in the front door yesterday afternoon, I knew right away that my mom was baking cookies. Can you guess why? I could smell them all the way from the front door and I could hear my mom in the kitchen. I was hoping I would get to taste the cookies right away, but I had to wait until after dinner.  Your five senses are a very important part of your body.  Do you know all five?

Sight – We see with our eyes! Try closing your eyes and imagine how hard it would be if you couldn’t see. Your eyes take in colors, shapes, movements and more. They can adjust to focus on things up close or farther away. Some people’s eyes have trouble doing those things and that’s why they need to wear glasses, like my Grandpa!

Taste – We taste with our tongue! There are little bumps on each of our tongues called taste buds. They help us taste things that are sour, salty, sweet, fruity and much more. Everyone’s sense of taste is a little bit different. That’s why each person has different foods they like and don’t like. What’s your favorite food?

Touch – We touch with our skin! We have nerves in our skin that tell us how things feel. When we touch things, the nerves tell us if things are hot, cold, soft, or prickly. Without the sense of touch you wouldn’t be able to tell how soft your favorite blanket is, how hot the stove can get, or how the sand feels between your toes.

Smell – We smell with our noses! Little tiny particles get inside our noses and tell our brain what things smell like. The sense of smell is my favorite sense. I love the smell of flowers, the ocean and dinnertime.

Hearing – We hear with our ears! Just think about all the noises you heard today without even realizing it. Our hearing is how we listen to music, birds chirping outside and our parents snoring. My favorite thing to hear is animal sounds, like when dogs bark or cows moo. Do you have a favorite sound?

So for the rest of the day, think really hard about what senses you are using and how they are helping you!

Tags: , , , , ,

Comments Off

Oct
26

Halloween Safety

by chris

Halloween is coming up soon and you know that that means! Costumes and candy, what could be better!  I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and I just can’t decide what to be for Halloween. Maybe Super Apple! Or Carmel Apple! Do you have your costume yet? However scary and fun your costume may be, it’s important to remember that safety is an important part of Halloween.

Follow these tips to ensure a safe and fun Halloween:
• Only trick or treat at houses of people you know and never go in a house to accept candy.
• Don’t trick or treat alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
• Wait until you get home to eat your candy so your parents can look it over and make sure it’s safe to eat!
• It’s fun to dress up, but make sure your costume is comfortable, doesn’t block your vision or trip you while you walk for candy.
• Carry a flashlight so you can see where you are going, and so adults can see you.
• Always walk on the sidewalks and crosswalks. Be sure to look both ways before crossing the street!

Have a Happy Halloween!

Tags:

Comments Off

Oct
11

Flu Season

by chris

One day last week, I woke up with a case of the sniffles.  I had a headache, runny nose, sore throat and my body ached all over. It seemed I had come down with the flu.

Most likely, all those who are reading this have either had the flu or will get the flu at some point in their lifetime. The flu is easily spread with the droplets of water that sometimes spew out of the mouth when a person with the flu coughs, sneezes, talks or laughs. That’s why it is so important to wash your hands frequently and cover your mouth with your arm when you cough or sneeze.

It’s also recommended that everyone over the age of 6 months receive an annual flu shot. Shots can seem scary, but they really are the best way to prevent the flu.  Trust me, having a shot each year is waaaaaaaayyyy better than feeling sick from the flu for a week! But, if you really don’t want to get a shot, you can talk to your doctor about the possibility of getting a nasal spray vaccine instead. 

It’s been almost a week since I started sniffling. After much rest, lots of water and some tender loving care from my mom, I’m feeling much better!

Tags:

Comments Off

Sep
23

First Day of Fall

by chris

School is back in session, the leaves are changing colors and it seems to be getting cooler outside. It could only mean one thing; it’s time for fall! In fact, today is the official first day of fall.

Another name for fall is autumn. During summer, plants work to make its food using water, light and carbon dioxide during a process called photosynthesis. A chemical called chlorophyll, that is also used during photosynthesis, gives plants their green color. But when summer ends and autumn begins, the days become shorter and shorter. With less sunlight, the plants have to slow down or stop producing its food. Eventually, most of the leaves will change colors, become dried out and crunchy and fall to the ground. This makes for some great giant leaf piles to jump into….my absolute favorite part of fall!

What are your favorite fall activities?

Tags: ,

Comments Off

Sep
16

Riding a Bike

by chris

Riding a bike is fun and is great exercise, but only if done safely.  I like to go bike riding with my friends all the time.  Follow these rules when riding your bike:

  1. Always wear a helmet on every bike ride, no matter how short or how close you are to home. A helmet protects you from getting hurt.
  2. Never ride in the street. Stay on your driveway or the sidewalks. 
  3. Make sure you can sit on the bike seat, with your hands on the handlebars, and be able to place both feet on the ground.
  4. Learn hand signals.
  5. If you have questions about riding your bike, ask your parents.  They can teach you how to be safe while having fun at the same time!

Tags: ,

Comments Off

Sep
12

Always Wash Your Hands

by chris

I know it can sometimes be hard to remember to wash your hands, but it’s one of the best ways you can stay healthy. Washing your hands helps stop germs from spreading!

Always remember to wash your hands with soap and water rubbing them together for 20 seconds. You can sing the “Happy Birthday” song to let you know how long to wash! Always use a clean towel to dry your hands. Here are some of the most important times to wash your hands:

• after blowing your nose or coughing (remember to always use a tissue!)
• before eating
• after using the bathroom
• after touching your pets
• after you are finished playing outside

Tags:

Comments Off

Sep
01

Take my Back to School Quiz!

by chris

Beat Those First Day Jitters
Reduce your nervousness about going to school by:

a) Having your mom and dad describe what school will be like and what will happen during the day.
b) Visit the school before classes begin.
c) Playing your friends outside of school.
d) All of the above.

The answer is D.

Buying Lunch at School
When buying your lunch at school, you should:

a) Choose the healthier food on the menu.
b) Pick one of your favorite foods every so often.
c) Bring your lunch from home sometimes.
d) All of the above.

The answer is D.

Carrying a Backpack
Your parents should buy you a backpack that:

a) Has wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.
b) Weighs less than 10 to 20 percent your weight when the backpack is full.
c) May have wheels.
d) All of the above.

The answer is D. 

Great job everyone!

This post has no tag

Comments Off

Aug
25

Picking the Right Backpack

by chris

There’s only 10 days left until school starts, and I can’t hardly wait to see my best friends Jona and Ginger Gold again! Yesterday, my mom and I went on a big shopping extravaganza to buy all the supplies and clothes I would need for the new school year. After what felt like 30 gazillion hours of shopping, we stopped at our last store to buy a new backpack. We didn’t have to do much searching for the new pack because sitting on display at the front of the store was the coolest backpack I had ever seen! It had all my favorite colors (yellow and blue) and lots of zippers and compartments where I could put all my books and supplies.

Have you bought a new backpack for this year? If you haven’t, here are a few things to consider when you pick it out:

1. Look for a lightweight pack with lots of compartments to help distribute the weight of books and supplies.
2. Find a backpack with a padded back to increase comfort and keep sharp objects like your scissors from poking through the fabric.
3. Make sure the pack has two wide, padded straps and a waist strap.
4. Consider the size of the backpack to the size of you. If your backpack is too big, it may be too heavy when you carry it which might make your back hurt!

Tags: ,

Comments Off

Aug
16

Physical Therapy

by chris

When I was a small apple, I feel off my bike and hurt my leg.  My doctor said I had to rest and stay off my bike for a few weeks, but he also said that I needed physical therapy.  Do you know what that is? 

After an injury, physical therapy can help you move around, make your body stronger and help lessen any pain you are feeling.  A person that helps with this is called a Physical Therapist.  They will teach you new exercises and stretches.  Physical therapists also have fun toys that you can use to help make your muscles stronger. 

Physical therapists can also:

  •  Help with your balance so you don’t fall over
  • Teach you how to stay safe when playing so you don’t get hurt again

When I was hurt, my physical therapist taught me how to walk with crutches.  We even practiced walking up and down the stairs together.  Now my leg is stronger than it’s ever been before!

Tags: , ,

Comments Off

Older posts «