Michael L. Bishop, M.B.A., Ph.D.

Executive Director, Wellspring

Studies show nearly 90% of overweight teens become obese adults, bringing a heightened risk of medical, social, emotional, and financial complications. If your child has a weight issue, you may have already noticed the emotional impact: lower self-esteem, little motivation, social isolation, perhaps behavioral issues in school or at home. Studies have shown that overweight children are less likely to attend or graduate from college, and more likely to occupy a lower socioeconomic status as adults.

As Executive Director at Wellspring, the leading provider of effective, scientifically based treatment for obese and overweight adolescents and young adults, I can personally attest to the level of resistance some parents feel when it comes to discussing a weight issues with their child. Parents feel that their child will become defensive and that broaching the subject will only cause a divide in an already stressed relationship.

In these situations, it’s the role of the parent to make the right decision for the child’s health. We advise parents to sit down with their child and explain the decision:

“Honey, I care about you so much. Nothing is more important to me than your health, and that’s why we’ve made the decision to seek treatment for your weight.”

In nearly 100% of these cases, once child begins treatment in an emotionally-safe environment where they are not being judged based on their weight, the resistance or reluctance lessens and eventually disappears.

A parallel can be made with another serious health problem such as cancer. If your child had cancer, would getting treatment be up for discussion or would you insist they are treated with the most advanced methods available?

A recent study by The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) confirms that obesity can shorten life spans on average by up to 20 years, depending on factors such as gender, age and race. In fact the Centers for Disease Control now lists obesity as paralleling smoking as the number 1 cause of preventable death in the United States. Certainly if you child decided to light up a cigarette in your living room this would not be up for discussion. Being obese while living in your home under your care should not be up for discussion either.

Parents today need to be proactive about their child’s health both at school and at home. You can teach your children healthy lifestyle skills utilizing these two basic concepts: 1) reduce your caloric intake and 2) increase your daily physical activity.

Wellspring recommends 10,000 steps each day using a pedometer to track your activity. Pedometers are inexpensive, and this is an easily calculated and measurable goal. Using a pedometer the entire family can participate in many different sports and activities in order to reach your daily goal of 10,000 steps.

Activities can include a daily walk around the neighborhood after school or work, walking the dog in the morning, a family game of basketball or baseball, or even just throwing a ball back and forth in the front yard. Anything a family can do together that requires taking steps can be beneficial. The important thing is that activity is tracked and that 10,000 steps are completed each day, even when you don’t feel like it.

Parents can role model healthy lifestyles for their children by involving them with each step of the food preparation process. For example, parents can involve their children in planning healthy, well balanced meals. Going to the grocery store with your child can be an educational opportunity if you ask your child to read the food labels and choose foods with the lowest level of calories and fat. Avoiding impulse buys and sticking to planned meals can role model self control and the importance of a low calorie, low fat lifestyle for your kids.

If simple changes like taking 10,000 steps per day or making healthier food choices are not resulting in noticeable improvement, you should consider more intensive, effective, scientifically based programs depending on degree of need: a weight loss camp for moderate need or weight loss academies for greater needs for changes. At these specialized programs adolescents and teens learn how to control their weight in a supportive, nurturing atmosphere.

About The Author

Dr. Bishop is Executive Director of Wellspring, the leading provider of effective, scientifically based treatment for obese and overweight adolescents and young adults. Mike is a licensed psychologist specializing in behavioral change who has lost approximately 100 lbs on the Wellspring Plan.

Now, thanks to Exergen’s patented software, the TemporalScanner Temperature provides arterial heat balance. This unique process determines temperature by accurately measuring the balance between the tissues warming from arterial blood and tissues cooling (warming) caused by heat loss (gain) to the environment. All it needs is a gently swipe on the forehead. Yes! It’s that simple!

More about Exergen Temporal Scanner :

The TemporalScanner Thermometer is designed to measure the temperature of the skin surface over the temporal artery, a major artery of the head. The temporal artery is connected to the heart via the carotid artery, directly leading from the aorta, the main trunk of the arterial system. It offers constant blood flow. It is the only such artery positioned close enough to the skin surface to provide access needed to take an accurate measurement. It is easy to use because it is ideally located at the front portion of the forehead. The TemporalScanner is easier and gentler to use than other types of measurement devices such as oral, rectal, underarm and in-ear thermometers because it is truly non-invasive.

Here we have real-life accounts of how the Exergen TemporalScanner works, from our reviewers :

Katydid and Kid :  The thermometer is extremely easy to use, even on a wiggly toddler who was very interested in the device and wanted to hold it rather than let me use it. It takes literally a few seconds to use, and you don’t have to sit there waiting for an accurate reading while your child keeps a traditional thermometer under his tongue or arm.

Stacy Moore : We are thrilled with our new Scanner. It’s such a quick and reliable way to take our little one’s temperature! With one gentle stroke of the scanner over the forehead we were able to determine if our little one had a fever! We highly recommend this great product to everyone!

The Mom Buzz :  The Exergen is my best friend when my oldest spikes fevers to 104 and I just want to give a reading to the pediatrician ASAP. Plus, I can also get his temperature when he is sleeping – he never knows that I am checking up on him again. And those times when your kids feel “warm”, but you aren’t sure if they are feverish – well it’s a lot easier to just grab the Exergen and double check than any other thermometer in the house.

Hotomom : I’ll be honest this takes some getting used to, usually after 5 scans you’ve got it down. I would practice a bit first but then also be sure you are more gentle because the first time I made L’s forehead red. But, seriously I wouldn’t lie, it’s easy.

Reviews & Reflections : Before it even arrived in the mail, I started doing my research.  The thing that really excited me was the speed with which this scanner reads the body temperature.  With just a quick stroke over the forehead, you have a reading.  And it’s amazingly accurate – to within .2 degrees F (that’s POINT 2!)

Three Different Directions : The reason it is so accurate?  In the couple of seconds that it takes to sweep over the forehead to the temple it takes about 2000 readings and it selects the most accurate. It takes some practice to use it right, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll feel like you’re a medical professional.

Short Pump Preppy : Dude, I would have gotten one of these a long time ago.  Everyone in the house gets sick at the same time, and I have never liked sharing thermometers.  Now I’m not keeping up with 4 different thermometers.  (call me crazy, that’s what we did).  To me it’s like sharing toothbrushes.  *go ahead, talk behind my back*

Mom on the Rise : Nonetheless, I didn’t have to worry about changes to the temperature due to drinking, positioning,talking, or moving. An important thing to note is that if your patient is sweating, the temperature should not be taken across the forehead but rather the on the neck behind the ear lobe.

My Quest for Sanity : Honestly this review couldn’t have come at a better time. The day before I received the Exergen temporal scanner, I was diagnosed with H1N1 and 3 days after I was diagnosed my poor sweet Sophia caught it. Now, I would never wish to be as ill as we were but having this God sent product on hand made it a little easier. Like I said before, checking the temperature on a finicky 3 year old is one heck of a job but add in a nasty flu and it is just THAT much harder.

One House Schoolroom Review : We have had quite a few opportunities to test the Temporal Scanner during this flu season and we have had wonderful results.  It is so quick that my little ones didn’t even know we were taking their temperature.  We often had to hold my youngest child still while taking her temperature under her arm, causing her even more discomfort and tears.  With the Temporal Scanner this was not any issue at all.

Buy It! : This is a fantastic gift for any new and been-there-done-that parents. With its’ ease of use, during a difficult time, I’m pretty sure your name will be blessed a thousand times, for sending the perfect gift. Or, you can just get it for yourself, and bless yourself a thousand times.

Here’s where you can get them (retail and online) : ToysRUs, Costco, Walmart, Walgreens, Shoppers Drug Mart, BabyCenter.com, Sam’s Club.

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/0

How many of you parents out there have a first aid kit that is filled with all the necessities required for an unplanned injury? I’m the first to admit that I do have some first aid supplies available in a cabinet drawer in the house but not in a box or kit that is ready to grab and go in case of emergencies. I know, I heard the warning siren – NOT GOOD!  When an injury happens, any parent will want to minimize the pain when it happens to the time we can get proper medical care for our child. Thus, it is important to have a first aid kit readily available at home.

Since we got the Medibuddy from me4kidz, my 4 year old seemed to be getting more “Owees” than usual *slaps head*.  That’s because the Medibuddy is so kid friendly that my daughter regard it as her “toy buddy”. This kit contains 40 pieces of quality first aid items such as red, blue, yellow crayon bandages, knee and elbow bandage, sting relief pad, gauze pads, antiseptic wipes, burn relief cream, antibiotic ointments, stickers for the kids and a carrying case. I myself love  the Medibuddy as it is very convenient to carry around such as during outings, campings and even during a sports event.

About me4kidz:

Who else understand the needs of a family then another family? me4kidz (Medical Emergencies For Kids) is owned and operated by the Nassos Family comprising of Dad Pete, Mommy Richelle and Cody & Luke (the kids). The idea for kid friendly first aid products came about to Richelle after her eldest son Cody was stung by a bee and there was no emergency kit available to her at home.

me4kidz products are exclusively made in USA and each year, they donate products to educational fundraisers as well as children’s organizations that cannot afford first aid products. Being a responsible company, me4kidz also ensures that all the plastic used in their products are 100% recycled.

BUY IT : With Medibuddy, you can Clean It, Fix It and Get Back To Play in a jiffy. Visit me4kidz, enter your zip and find out where you can purchase their first aid kits. While you are there, why not check out the Medibag For Kidz and Medibag for Petz.