Dr. Chris Koutures

The consumption of special holiday foods combined with festive gatherings and vacation time do not have to be temporary distractions from practicing healthy habits. Dr. Chris Koutures, a pediatric and sports medicine specialist at CHOC Children’s, offers several easy ways for families to stay active during the holiday break. Dr. Koutures’ tips are a great way to promote good tidings and cheer!

• Light up your day. There are many wonderful holiday light displays around the area. Rather than drive through them, park or leave the car at home and take a stroll on foot. Walking will give you more time to appreciate the beauty and also burn a few extra calories.

• Become a mall walker. Malls and stores are more crowded this time of year, as are their parking lots. Take advantage of this – avoid the crowds looking for a closer parking spot and find those lonely spots farther away. The extra steps will be good for you! Once inside, make a plan to take the stairs, walk around or plain “window shop” for 10-15 minutes before stopping and making purchases.

• Give the gift of movement. Strongly consider gifts that involve and encourage activity.  Even video games now have more interactive components that keep kids jumping, turning and breaking a sweat.  Outdoor play toys and games are also a big hit with our consistent good weather, local parks and fields.

• “Pre-load” before a big party. Having a small meal before a big holiday party or gathering may reduce the temptation to overeat. At the party, remember sensible portion sizes (size of your fist is a good guide)and include healthy foods., Supervise younger children so they don’t have unlimited access to all the specialty holiday foods.

• Save some for later. Don’t be afraid to store away or freeze holiday candies or other sweets for later in the year. This will help reduce the risk of overeating and provide a special surprise months later, extending the good feeling of the holiday season.

• Don’t forget the “Big Five!” Make the commitment to include at least five fruits and/or vegetables a day. We are blessed in this area to have an ample selection of colorful, healthy foods that will complement the wonderful colors of the season.

Get little ones involved in the kitchen.

It’s that time between Christmas and New Year’s Day when the kids are all at home…a.k.a. the Christmas crash! The toys have been unwrapped and the kids are slowly coming down from the days-long sugar high.

Many parents work full time and many daycare facilities are closed between holidays. So for those parents that are off during the holiday break, they will get to spend all day, every day with their kids! 

With so much together time, it’s easy for tempers to flare and kids to get testy. If you find yourself with a house full of antsy children, here are some tips for surviving the Christmas crash. 

• Stick to your regular schedule. Keep kids on track, even for meals and naps. It’s easy for things to go haywire without a regimented routine. And scheduled naps for kiddos means a downtime for parents.

• Cook up a storm. There are plenty of kid-friendly recipes that can get the whole family involved. Let them help you stir and decorate. Studies show that kids are much more likely to eat healthy snacks if they help to prepare it.

• Clean out the toy chest. With so many new toys around, it’s easy for things to become crowded. Make room for new gifts while teaching your kids about giving. Help little ones sort through old toys and clothes and select items to donate to charity. Then, let them go with you to make the donation.

• Build a fort. With a sheet and some chairs, make a fun hideaway for the kiddos. Let them fill it with blankets and pillow. It’s a perfect place to watch movies and read books when the weather is dreary.

• Go to the park. Better yet, pack a lunch. A picnic at the park is a fun deviation from the norm.  Don’t forget the sand toys and sweaters in case it gets chilly.

• Hit the road. Pack some snacks and supplies and hop in the car. Take an impromptu trip to the beach or other favorite spot and take in the scenery.

When it comes to keeping the kids entertained, a little preparation goes a long way. 

Doing good for others is a great way to spend time together and bring your family closer during the holidays. Volunteering can also help children learn kindness and compassion.

Click here for some fun activities you can do together this season: http://www.choc.org/publications/index.cfm?id=P00303&pub=KH&aid=627

CHOC Children’s has dozens of ways for your family to give back to the community. To learn more about ways to help support CHOC, please visit www.choc.org/giving.

Veterans Day is a great time to educate your children about this important holiday and the sacrifice of our U.S. veterans. Here are a few, fun ideas to share with your family:
1. Have your kids write a poem, or draw a picture about what the holiday means to them.

2. Have your kids create a colorful thank you card or poster for a veteran you know, such as a relative, neighbor or teacher.

3. Find an age-appropriate, educational program on T.V. about the history behind this holiday and watch it with your kids.

4. Make a dessert together using patriotic colors — share with family, or veterans in local nursing homes.

Guest blogger, Lisa Robertson, author of the Babes in Disneyland blog and book, and mommy of three, shares her tried and true tips on how to start a CHOC Walk team.

Last year, I laced up my sneakers and walked in the twentieth annual CHOC Walk in the Park held at the Disneyland Resort. It was my first walk and I decided to go for it by not just participating in the walk but by forming and leading a team of walkers.

Whether you are a first-time walker or a long-time CHOC Children’s supporter, forming a team is a great way to become involved in the walk. In order to form my team and raise money for CHOC, I reached out to friends, family members and the readers of my blog and very quickly formed a team of almost 20 walkers who raised more than $2,200.

This year, my team currently has nine registered walkers and we are on track to raise $1,000 and maybe more. If you or someone you know are thinking about forming a team for the CHOC Walk in the Park, here are my top tips for managing your team:

1. Recruit and raise money using social media. I use Twitter and Facebook to reach out to those I know and those I don’t to let them know about my efforts.
2. Get creative! Last year, my youngest son and I created the video below to help raise money for our CHOC Walk efforts:

3. Keep your team members up to date with frequent emails or create a special Facebook event or group page with the latest on your group’s meet-up the morning of the walk, check-in information and lodging information for those who are not local. A page is also a great place for your team to discuss whether or not you want to create signs, shirts or hats for the walk or designate a place to meet up and have breakfast after the walk is over.
4. Encourage members who are local to the check-in for the event in person. If all of your members cannot check-in ahead of time, be sure to set a deadline for each of your team member’s $50 pledges so that they are all paid before you or a member of your team checks in for everyone.
5. Set a meeting spot for your team for the morning of the race and bring something to identify your group. Last year, I brought a huge bundle of red balloons. In theory, this was a great idea…except for the fact that a lot of other groups brought red balloons as well. This year, I’ll be bringing a sign and balloons.

Walking for CHOC is very important to me because I believe in the amazing work done at CHOC and take great comfort in knowing that should my children ever need the expertise of CHOC’s talented doctors, nurses, surgeons or other specialists, that they will be there at the ready. CHOC provides families hope and comfort and patients the opportunity to still feel like kids while dealing with the very adult issues of being sick.

If you are looking for a fun team to walk with at the CHOC Walk in the Park, I happily invite you to join my team, Babes In Disneyland. If you still aren’t sure if the CHOC Walk is right for you, check out my team’s video from last year!

As an educator and literacy expert, I’ve often used books to help address events that life unexpectedly throws our way. Last week, I bought Teeth Are Not for Biting (by Elizabeth Verdick) for my grand-daughter, Ellie (age 2) who had pretty much been an angel until she suddenly bit her sister, twice!

Of course, Ellie’s mother talked to her in between bites, but we now have reinforcements with the rescue book for the no-biting regime. Written for toddlers, it’s informative with its brightly colored illustrations, clever descriptions of the functions of teeth, and clear instructions about chewing food slowly and using words instead of teeth! The publisher also carries other books that deal with socio-emotional issues (with some books for parents and professionals). For more on the series, visit Free Spirit Publishing at http://www.freespirit.com/.

I know there are many of you who have also reached for books along with band-aids. Which ones would you recommend for life’s little troubles?

A special contributor to the blog, Nancy Brashear, Ph.D., is a CHOC grandma and an expert specializing in literature for children and adolescents. You can read more at  www.grannywrites.com.

Dr. Lilibeth Torno, Clinical Director of Hyundai Cancer Institute at CHOC Children’s, describes symptoms and treatment of histiocytosis. To view video, click here: http://www.choc.org/video/index.cfm?id=81

When Samantha’s daughter, Ryan, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at age 5, she wasn’t sure who would understand what they were going through. Following her diagnosis, Ryan was admitted to the Hyundai Cancer Institute at CHOC Children’s, a place she would call home for the next five weeks. Little did Ryan know that after only one day at CHOC, she would gain a friendship that will last a lifetime.

At the same time, Leigh Anne’s 5-year-old daughter, Emma, was undergoing treatment at CHOC for ALL. Samantha and Leigh Anne would huddle outside their children’s rooms in the middle of the night, drinking coffee and forming support groups.

The day Ryan and Emma met was very memorable to both girls; it was Ryan’s first day and Emma’s last. It was during this time that Ryan and Emma quickly bonded over their diagnosis. The girls would hold hands and walk the halls together, whispering about their doctors and what they hoped to get from the prize chest. According to their mothers, there was an intrinsic understanding between the two. 

“The girls were like kindred spirits; they felt more comfortable around each other, which made receiving treatment easier,” noted Samantha. “It’s like, ‘she has a port, and so do I. She has no hair, neither do I.’ Commonality forms a bond.”

“They felt as though this was their journey and they were in it together,” added Leigh Anne.

Today, both girls are on the path to recovery and are receiving routine checkups and treatment at CHOC Children’s Outpatient Infusion Center (OPI), where they even plan their appointments around each other so they can spend time together. Although they only spent one day together during their time at CHOC, it’s been over a year since that initial meeting, and they still have a special bond.

Emma and Ryan, as well as their moms, will always be grateful for the life-saving treatment they received at CHOC, and thankful for the life-long friendship they made because of it.

Summer is officially here – meaning summer vacation for most kids and teens! If you have a teen at home, he or she may be driving around more often than when in school. Talk openly with your kids about their cell phone use and the dangers of texting or calling while driving.

Did you know that drivers using cell phones to send text messages are six times more likely to crash than those concentrating only on driving, according to a study in the journal Human Factors? Know the Risks! For must-read tips for your teens, please click here: http://www.choc.org/publications/articles.cfm?id=P00303&pub=KH&aid=595