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Kitchen Safety – Hidden Hazards

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

I think I spend about three hours a day in my kitchen. Just when I get a meal or snack prepared, served and cleaned-up, it seems to be time to eat again. I guess that is the norm for busy families that are constantly on the go.

Yet, while the kitchen is one of the most lived-in rooms in the house, there are many hazards here that are often overlooked. These hazards can result in illness or injury if not addressed. For example, did you know that the dish cloth or sponge is the most dangerous item in your kitchen? That a child’s shirt can catch on fire while stirring something on a gas stove? That there are all sorts of bacteria (including fecal matter) on the rinds of lemons and limes (but we squeeze these and throw them in our drink!).

My blog today is going to highlight some of the under-estimated hazards in the kitchen, including:

1. Dirty Dish Sponges: Did you know that a dirty dish sponge can harbour and spread disease-causing bacteria? A study completed at the University of Arizona detected salmonella in 15% of sponges that were examined. As we age, it becomes more difficult for our bodies to fight off disease, making it important to be aware of how bacteria spreads and how to prevent it. A simple way to get rid of bacteria on sponges is to wet the sponge and zap it in the microwave for about one minute. Or for dish cloths, rotate and wash these regularly using bleach if available.

2. Cross-contamination of food: Ensure to thoroughly wash your hands, surfaces, and utensils after handling meat, poultry, or seafood to avoid spreading bacteria. Keep two cutting boards – one for meat products, and one for other food items. Purchasing cutting boards in different colours or labelling them can make it easier to discriminate between the two. Considering putting your cutting boards in the dishwasher after use to increase sanitation.

3. Spoiled Food and Storing Leftovers: Never leave raw meat, poultry, seafood or leftovers on the counter for longer than two hours. If defrosting food, defrost in the refrigerator or immerse in cold water. When storing food in the fridge, the temperature should be set to 4° C (40°F) or lower and your freezer at -18°C (0° F) or lower to avoid growth of bacteria. Ensure to keep meat, poultry, and seafood in sealed bags separate from the rest of your food items. The best place for these items is on the bottom shelf, so that juices can’t drip onto other food. If you are storing leftovers, use labels to record when each product was prepared. General guidelines for storing items in the fridge are as follows:

• Bacon: 1 week
• Lunch meat: 3-5 days
• Fresh beef, veal, lamb, and pork: 3-5 days
• Cooked meat, poultry, pizza, stews: 3-4 days
• Fresh poultry, ground meats, or raw sausage: 1-2 days

Go through your fridge weekly to throw out anything outdated or questionable. Always remember – when in doubt, throw it out!

4. Forgetting to Turn-off the Oven or Stovetop: This is extremely dangerous and can lead to fires or burns. To avoid this, stay close to anything cooking and use a timer or alarm. If you worry about forgetting to turn things off, consider using a visual checklist to remind you to check the stove. Place this at the exit to your kitchen, or post it at the door you use to leave your home. If you must leave the kitchen area while cooking for any reason (e.g. to answer the phone or the door), wear an oven mitt or carry a kitchen utensil with you to serve as a visual reminder to return to the kitchen as soon as you can. If using the oven, always wear long sleeved oven mitts to avoid burns. Alternatively, slow cookers are an easy and safe substitute to using the stovetop when preparing meals.

5. Supervise Children. Getting children involved in cooking and baking is a great way to increase their willingness to try new foods, and teaches them valuable life skills. But as with all things involving children, close supervision is mandatory. A child standing on a stool to stir something on the stove can lose their balance falling onto the burners and loose clothing can catch on fire. All knives (dull, sharp, large or small) can be difficult for children’s coordination, and small hands may have a hard time lifting heavier and hot baking pans. Even using a knife to get a piece of toast from a plugged in toaster is dangerous. So, supervise children in the kitchen and teach them the safe and proper way to prepare food and work around kitchen tools and appliances.

Although this is not an exhaustive list of kitchen safety hazards, the above are some of the most common and the easiest to avoid. Of course, there are other kitchen safety hazards that are created when people have physical, cognitive, emotional or behavioral disabilities. But the good news is there are many aids, devices and strategies that can help people to improve their independence and safety during meal tasks. Consider consulting an occupational therapist for suggestions on ways to be successful in the kitchen.

References:
1) http://www.chow.com/food-news/54707/10-kitchen-hazards/
2) http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/eating-nutrition/safety-salubrite/safety_home-maison_salubrite-eng.php#Refridgerator
3) http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/storagetimes.html

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Getting Physical with Education

Great news! Physical education is not just happening in the gymnasium anymore and gone are the days of children being expected to sit quietly all day in the classroom. Instead, it is now recognized that each student learns differently and for those with attention deficit disorders and learning disabilities, classrooms need to accommodate unique styles of learning. In today’s classroom, children are spending more time collaborating, exploring, moving around the room, creating student driven discussions and having frequent breaks for stretching and physical activity. The following form the New York Times discusses how adding physical elements to the classroom can help spark creativity and support a better learning environment for all kids, but especially those with ADHD.

The New York Times Well Blog:  Put the Physical in Education

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Sensory Overload! Understanding Sensory Sensitivity in Kids

Guest Blogger Jana Maich, Occupational Therapist

In my previous blog, “Busy Bodies, Is It Sensory Seeking,” I wrote about the sensory seeking child. To quickly re-cap, sensory seekers are always on the move, searching for sensory input in order to meet their high sensory thresholds. On the other end of the spectrum is the sensory defensive child. Unlike sensory seekers who have high thresholds for sensory input, sensory sensitive children have very low sensory thresholds. Due to these low thresholds, they experience sensory input much more intensely or notice sensory input much more often than their peers. This means that sensory input that may not bother you and I (for example the feel of jeans, brushing our teeth, or the sound of an alarm going off) may be very aversive, distracting, threatening, or even painful for that child.

Sensory sensitive children can respond to their low sensory thresholds in couple of ways. For some children, they may actively avoid sensory input in an attempt to avoid meeting their threshold. They may set strict rituals and routines to avoid unfamiliar sensory input which can be seen as threatening, engage in disruptive behaviours, or escape the situation in an attempt to avoid feeling the pain or discomfort caused by some sensations.

Other children may demonstrate less active attempts to avoid sensory input. Although these children do not actively avoid the situation, they are constantly bombarded with sensory input as they notice it much more than others. They may appear distracted, hyperactive, or have difficulty focusing as their attention is constantly being diverted to a new sensory stimulus in the environment.

Sensory sensitivity is not to be confused with normal selectivity of children. For example, it is not uncommon for a child to dislike going to the dentist or to cover their ears in a noisy environment. Ask yourself: How much is the sensitivity negatively impacting my child’s daily routine and functioning? Is my child unwilling or unable to participate in daily routines and activities due to avoidance or sensitivity to sensory information?

As mentioned in the last blog, if you are concerned that sensory sensitivity may be a problem for your child, an occupational therapy assessment can help determine the underlying causes and potential solutions. Therapy sessions for sensory sensitivity may focus on specific exercises and techniques designed to desensitize your child and support increased tolerance for sensory input. Additionally, occupational therapists can offer simple strategies and/or modifications to daily routines that enable your child to better accept difficult sensations (e.g. hair washing, eating certain foods, or tooth brushing). Strategies can also be recommended to improve your child’s ability to filter out extraneous sensations in order to promote increased attention and focus. As always, all strategies would be tailored to meet your child’s specific needs, modeled, and modified as needed.

If you are concerned that your child may be experiencing sensory sensitivity, and you would like some support and guidance to understand or reduce those behaviors, try occupational therapy.

References
Dunn, W. (2002). Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile: User’s Manual. San Antonio: The Psychological Corporation.

Dunn, W. (1997). The impact of sensory processing abilities on the daily lives of young children and their families: a conceptual model. Infants and Young Children, 9(4), 23-35

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A Healthy Breakfast– Start The Day Off Right

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day – especially for children considering their physical and cognitive development and need to attend to school activities all day. Studies show, among other things, that eating a healthy breakfast promotes concentration, however, it is known that more than 40% of Canadian children skip this important meal regularly. The morning rush can be quite chaotic, so check out these great easy breakfast recipes that kids can eat on the go.

Parenting:  15 On-the-Go Breakfast Recipes

The month of September celebrates “Breakfast for Learning,” a Canadian charity that for over 20 years has helped to nourish school-aged children by providing breakfast, snack and lunch programs in schools. Be sure to check out their great work and help support Breakfast for Learning across Canada.

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Busy Bodies: Is it Sensory Seeking?

Guest Blogger Jana Maich, Occupational Therapist

In my experience as an occupational therapist working with children, sensory related concerns are some of the most common issues brought to me by parents. Sensory processing is complex, however, often there are simple home-based strategies that can be very helpful in meeting your child’s sensory needs. One of the most troubling sensory related concerns for parents is when their child is a “sensory seeker,” meaning they seem to be constantly looking for additional sensory input. In this blog post, I will be explaining what it means to be a “sensory seeker” and will provide information on how occupational therapists can help you to meet the needs of your child in order to keep him or her in a more regulated state throughout their day.

Sensory seekers are constantly “on the go” as they are attempting to obtain the sensory input that their bodies crave. They may run, crash, jump, mouth items, bounce, flip, spin, etc. to keep their bodies moving. This type of child has what we call a high sensory threshold (1). This means that in order to feel “regulated” and in an optimal state for attention and focus, they require much more intense sensory experiences than others. As a result, they are constantly on the lookout for such opportunities.

Occupational therapy works with children who struggle with sensory seeking by first identifying the types of sensory experiences your child is seeking, and second by helping to create more opportunities for sensory input throughout your child’s daily routines. When needed sensory input is provided naturally, these children are able to remain in a more regulated state, reducing the behavior.

If you are concerned that sensory seeking may be a problem for your child, an occupational therapy assessment can help to outline the behaviors, causes, and possible solutions. Our treatment would then involve specific activities and strategies tailored to your child’s needs. Additionally, these strategies will be modeled, monitored, and adjusted as needed during treatment sessions to help reduce them over time.

There are many activities that occupational therapists can suggest to support you in meeting the unique needs of your child. Everyday activities such as household chores, park visits, games and activities can be designed in ways that help provide needed sensory input. An occupational therapist will ensure to make the activities FUN and a part of the daily routine. The ultimate goal is to integrate activities that are enjoyable for your child naturally into their day, making “therapy” not seem so “therapy” and to ultimately benefit your child and other members in the family impacted by the behavior.

If you are concerned that your child is sensory seeking, and you would like some support and guidance to understand or reduce the behaviors, try occupational therapy.

1) Dunn, W. (1997). The impact of sensory processing abilities on the daily lives of young children and their families: a conceptual model. Infants and Young Children, 9(4), 23-35

2) Ayres, A.J. (2005). Sensory integration and the child. Understanding hidden sensory challenges. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Service.

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Back To School: 1st Day Jitters and Separation Anxiety

Starting or returning to school after summer is can be both exciting, but also anxiety provoking for many kids. Some will slip back into routine quite easily, however, some will struggle with separation anxiety. This can be extremely stressful for both kids and parents, but with proper preparation and planning the first day transition can be an easier one. The following from Parenting magazine provides 16 tips and tricks to help you and your child prepare.

Parenting:  16 Ways to Prep For School Separation Anxiety

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Healthy School Lunches

School starts next week and although many welcome the return of routine, packing a healthy lunch that won’t come home uneaten remains an ongoing parental challenge. It’s true–packing your child’s lunch can seem like a daunting, never ending task, but it doesn’t  have to be. The following from Eat Right Ontario provides all the information you need know to ensure your kids are eating healthy foods every day.

Eat Right Ontario:  Packing Healthy School Lunches and Snacks

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Are Our Kids Too Busy?

How busy is too busy for your kids? It seems that the extracurricular participation of kids in sports and the arts is increasing. Yet, for all this time out of the house, there is time lost for homework, play, proper meals, outdoor time and family. While keeping kids active and engaged in activities they enjoy is extremely healthy, this needs to be balanced appropriately based on the child and the resources of the family. The following from the Huffington Post discusses some key signs to look for if you are concerned that your child is overscheduled.

The Huffington Post:  10 Signs Your Kid Is Too Busy

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Back to School – Backpack Safety

Backpacks are a staple for every student. They travel back and forth between home and school, lugging books and school supplies. They are put through the unavoidable daily abuse of being thrown on the ground, trampled on, stuffed into a cubby or locker, saving a spot in line, and become over-stretched and over-used with the necessities of school. They are a necessary part of your child’s education, yet how much thought do you really put into the backpack your child wears aside from maybe price or color?  Have you considered the health implications of an improperly worn, fitted, or poorly supportive backpack?

Backpacks are meant to be worn over both shoulders so that the weight can be evenly distributed across some of the largest and strongest muscles in the body. Due to this, backpacks are preferable to shoulder bags, however they must be worn properly in order to avoid postural issues and injuries to the back, shoulder, and/or neck (1). Additionally, backpacks that are too heavy or large increase a child’s risk of injury due to falling or tripping (2). The following are some simple tips to help ensure your child’s backpack is fitted properly in order to avoid any negative health implications.

First of all, when choosing a backpack look for the following features (1,3):

  1. Make sure the backpack is made of a lightweight material. Sure, some trendy materials may look cool, but these can also add unnecessary weight.
  2. The backpack should have two wide, padded shoulder straps that are adjustable. Thin, narrow straps can cut off circulation resulting in pain, tingling, and numbness.  Straps with a clip to secure them across the chest are best.
  3. Look for a padded back to increase comfort and also to protect your child from being poked by items inside the bag.
  4. Backpacks with a waist strap help distribute the weight more evenly and can protect the neck and shoulders from carrying the weight independently.
  5. Check out backpacks that have a roller option if allowed in your child’s school. This allows freedom to switch between wearing on the back (for example on snowy days when rolling is not practical) and rolling the bag on the ground to take stress off of the neck and shoulders.
  6. Ensure the backpack has multiple compartments as this helps to distribute the weight more evenly, and keeps things organized and separated.

Once you have found the perfect backpack, ensure the backpack is worn properly by following some of these general guidelines:

  • The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that backpack load should never exceed 10-20% of your child’s body weight. Make sure unnecessary items aren’t traveling back and forth – leave heavy items at home or school if possible.
  • When putting on a backpack, ensure your child bends at the knees (not the waist!) and uses both hands to lift it onto their shoulders. Watch for signs of strain or difficulty when putting it on – if any are present consider reducing the load in the bag by having your child carry a few items.
  • ALWAYS use both of the shoulder straps. No matter how “cool” your child thinks using one shoulder strap looks, it can cause muscle, spine and orthopedic injury down the road.
  • Tighten the shoulder straps and use the strap around the waist (if available). This helps to ensure even weight distribution. The bag should sit in the center of the back, about two inches above the waist (not down near the buttocks!).
  • When packing, ensure heavy items are near the center / back of the bag. Use all of the available compartments to help distribute the weight more evenly.
  • Talk to your child about making frequent trips to their locker, desk or cubby to avoid carrying extra weight around all day.
  • Consider the backpack as a possible culprit if your child starts complaining of back pain, numbness or tingling in the shoulders or arms, or discomfort in the upper body or lower back.  If so, consult with a professional about how to correct the issues, and prevent these from getting worse.  Core, back, or strengthening exercises might be needed if your child is having difficultly lugging around their school stuff – and consult a professional to have any exercises prescribed.

Then, make it fun!  Give your child a list of things to look for when picking out their backpack, and comment on the different features of the ones at the store.  Once purchased, load this up with different things so you can show them the difference when weight is distributed evenly, unevenly and gets too heavy.  Have them try the straps at different lengths so they can comment on what is most comfortable.  Encourage them to leave things at school that should stay there (like indoor shoes) and consider having a double set of school supplies at home so these don’t need to travel back and forth.  Make Friday “clean out your backpack day” for a special treat.

Remember that you get what you pay for.  A $10.00 backpack chosen on style or color may cost you a lot more in the long run.  Backpacks are not an item you should cheap out on!

1)      American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (2013).
2)      KidsHealth (2013)
3)      American Academy of Pediatrics (2014)

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Turning the Back to School Blues into the Back to School “Yahoos!”

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

Last year, my September blog was called “Stress-tember”. For many, the September transition brings about new routines, adjustment chaos, and change that can be met with resistance, fatigue and stress. This year I wanted to take a different approach. I thought instead I would start the conversation early and give parents, teachers, and even kids some proactive strategies they can use to manage this transition as smoothly, productively, and as positively as possible.

1. Plan Ahead
The last few weeks of August will go quickly as we all try to cram in those last care-free moments of outdoor time, vacation, and a less chaotic schedule. But, don’t let September catch you off guard! It is best to look at your schedule now and find time when you will be able to fit in back-to-school related tasks. Start with a list of jobs that need to be done to get back-to-school ready. Personally, with four kids, my list includes: closet and drawer clean-out to compile a list of needed clothing items, shoe inventory, looking at our available school-supplies and backpacks to determine what needs to be replaced, and sitting down with each child to ask them about the lunch foods they will happily consume if these land in their lunchbox. With one child transitioning to an out-of-catchment high-school we need to understand her new schedule and arrange transportation including some city bus trials and carpooling. Once we know what needs to get done, we need to have structured schedule to do it. When can we shop for clothes, shoes, supplies, groceries? When the first week of school arrives, it is best to have the shopping done and even meals prepared, so that the stress, anxiety and chaos of the new routine is easier to manage.

2. Get a Family Calendar
Having a calendar placed in a common area (e.g. the kitchen or back hall) can help with organizing weekly plans. Using a different coloured marker for each family member can help you to easily identify who needs to be where and at what time. You can also encourage or assist your kids with keeping track of homework deadlines, school events like picture day, and other social outings. Once school begins, set aside a time each week for the family to go over the week ahead to ensure everyone is on board and prepared (i.e. “we need a birthday present for Tuesday, rubber boots for the trip on Thursday” etc.).

3. Establish Routines
Due to vacations, sleepovers, and the unstructured nature of no school, daily routines are often disrupted over the summer months. A consistent nightly routine for kids is critical to them getting a good sleep. Be consistent with when they are to start getting ready for bed, which nights will be for baths / showers, teeth brushing, and how they enjoy falling asleep (story time, hugs and kisses, that favorite stuffie, nightlight etc.). The importance is in the consistency of the routine as this is what cues your child that he/she is ready for sleep. Set up a routine that works for you and your family and start early. Having an established bedtime routine in place BEFORE school begins will help to make the transition go smoothly.

In addition to bedtime routines, it is important to re-establish what after-school time should also look like. We have our “after school routine” typed, laminated and posted in the back hall. This includes “shoes and back-packs away, lunch boxes emptied, dry snacks and water bottle packed for the next day, paperwork from school in the “in box”, have a healthy snack, do any homework, then play (no technology)! We review this with the kids before school starts, confirm the expectations, get their commitment, and make any changes.

4. Re-Adjust Sleep Schedules
Just as the overall bedtime routine is disrupted during the summer months, so is the timing of sleep. It is important to get back into a regular routine before school starts to avoid tired and cranky kids. A good way to ease into it is to adjust your child’s sleep/wake routine by ten minutes each night, so you can gradually get back to the regular routine by the time school begins. Having alarms in the kids’ bedrooms will help them to wake at an appropriate time so that they are not rushing, skipping breakfast or brushing their teeth in order to make a bus. And watch out for the snooze button! Letting your child delay waking will only become a bad habit harder to break as they get older. Put the alarm clock on the other side of the room if you have to – walking to turn it off will deter them from returning to bed.

5. Honour Your Child’s Anxiety
If your child is nervous or anxious about getting back to school, acknowledge this. Let them know that these feelings are normal. Ask them what you can do to make this easier. If your child is going to a new school or concerned about a new teacher, call the school and see if you are able to visit the school and/or classroom teacher before the school year begins. Or, see if there is a friend also in the same class they can meet with over the summer to ease their concerns. Often just being in the new environment, or being exposed to other kids transitioning prior to the school year beginning can ease fears and calm nerves.

6. Be Consistent
The most important aspect of making the transition back to school easier is consistency. With a familiar and consistent schedule in place, children are more prepared for what is to come which minimizes anxiety, reduces behavioural episodes, and provides kids with clear expectations and structure to their day. And when kids adjust more easily, so do parents!

7. Check your Expectations
Sometimes the worst part of any transition is not having reasonable expectations in the first place. Expect that your kids will need time adjusting, allow them to be tired, out of sorts and cranky, know that you too will need some extra time for yourself to unwind or get some extra rest. Don’t be reactive to the adjustment but rather just acknowledge this as one of the toughest times of the year and accept that in good time new routines will be established and the family will once again be in sync.

So, I hope the above tips will be helpful as you make this necessary transition back to “normal” – whatever that looks like for you. Personally, I will still find September stressful and hectic, but I expect nothing less in a household of six. Like with all things, some preparedness, patience and consistency will make it easier on all involved!