About 7 million children in the United States have asthma. That’s a lot of kids! Asthma affects a person’s breathing. You probably thought that breathing was easy for everyone, but for kids with asthma, breathing can be very hard.

Most of the time, kids with asthma breathe normally, but sometimes they have what’s called an asthma flare-up or asthma attack. A flare-up means a person’s airway is irritated and gets bigger. Imagine what it would be like if you had to breathe through a straw; that’s what an asthma attack feels like.

Asthma flare-ups can be caused by many different things like:
o Dust
o Mold
o Pollen
o Cigarette smoke (so no smoking!)
o Perfumes
o Furry pets
o Cold air
o Exercise

Everyone who has asthma should have an Asthma Action Plan, which is created by a doctor. The action plan will tell the person how often they should take medicine and what to do in case of asthma attack. With a doctor’s help, kids with asthma can breather easier!

Playgrounds are supposed to a place where you can have fun, get some exercise and play with your friends.  But sometimes kids get hurt at the playground. 

Before visiting a playground, your parents may give you some rules, but just in case they don’t, here are a few do’s and don’ts while you are at the playground:

Do
• Look down before jumping or climbing off the playground equipment.
• Leave bikes and backpacks away from equipment so that your friends don’t trip on them.
• Make sure that equipment is not too hot to the touch, especially in the summer months.
• Only one person at a time uses slide.
• Sit facing one another on seesaws, and only one person should sit on each side of a seesaw.
• Hold tightly with both hands when using a swing or a seesaw.

Don’t
• Use playground equipment that is wet and may be slippery.  
• Run too close to moving slides, swings or seesaws.
• Leave the playground without telling your parents where you are going.
• Play too rough when playing on jungle gyms, slides and seesaws.

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.

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!

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!

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!

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?

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!

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

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!