Friday, February 5, 2010

Safe on Saturday Event Details Announced

Safe Kids Greater Dayton, led by Dayton Children's, is hosting the 16th annual Safe on Saturday on Saturday, March 20, in partnership with the Parents Advancing Choice in Education (PACE) School and Community EXPO. The event will be held from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at Sinclair Community College, Building 12.


Safe on Saturday is a free day of fun and safety education for children and their families in the Miami Valley.

Activities include:
  • A bike safety station giving education and free helmets (quantities limited).
  • The child passenger safety room focusing on Ohio’s new booster seat law with an opportunity for those who qualify to receive a free booster seat and education (quantities limited).
  • The Franklin Fire Department’s Hazard House teaching children to recognize safety hazards in the home.
  • The Dayton Children’s Teddy Bear Clinic welcoming children ages 4 through 12 and their favorite stuffed animal to learn about visiting the doctor.
  • Kohl’s A Minute of Kids education stations covering burn prevention and dog bite safety.
  • Many other safety stations covering topics such as poison safety, pedestrian safety, helmet safety, fire prevention, and much more!
The PACE School and Community EXPO will feature educational opportunities for every age – public schools, private schools, charter schools, faith-based schools, tutorial programs, after-school care options, supplemental education services, colleges and universities, adult education programs and much more! The EXPO is free to the public and will help parents and visitors make informed choices regarding education and provide an opportunity to find out what is available in the Greater Dayton community.

For more information about Safe on Saturday, call Dayton Children's at 937-641-3385.

Unique Act of Gratitude

Steve and Jennifer Perez, parents of Benjamin Perez, have come up with a unique way to thank the many Dayton Children's staff members who cared for Benjamin during a hospital stay in our PICU that started December 29. As the owners of Tiger Joe's Fitness, they purchased advertising time on WHIO-TV during the local breaks of the Super Bowl this Sunday. In an unsolicited act of gratitude, the Perez’s are using their air time to thank our staff. Steve Perez says, "Dayton is lucky to have such a place. Our main goal in the commercial is just to thank those who helped Benjamin."

To view the ad, watch the Super Bowl or visit the front page of our website.

The Little Exchange to Host Bridal Event

The Little Exchange (one of Dayton Children's volunteer groups) is hosting "A Bridal Event on Park Avenue" and a VIETRI dinnerware trunk show on Saturday, February 20, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm. Admission is free. There will be door prizes and a favor for attending. For more information: 937-299-1561 or go to http://www.thelittleexchange.org/. All proceeds will benefit Dayton Children's.

The Little Exchange is a fine gift shop located in Oakwood, a suburb of Dayton, Ohio. Founded in 1950 by Elsie T. Mead and her friends. The Little Exchange has been a charitable foundation for over fifty years. The shop features perfect bridal gifts, infant and toddler clothing and gifts, unique de`cor for the home, and men's and women's gifts for all occasions.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Sponsored Silence Event

The “Sponsored Silence Event” at Wright State University men’s basketball game Saturday, January 30, was a big success. One hundred and seventeen tickets were sold to Dayton Children’s staff, friends and family with a portion of the proceeds coming to Dayton Children’s. Patients from the rehabilitative services department who use alternative/augmentative communication devices (speech generating devices) were highlighted at the game. The game began with Sara Pyszka, a senior at Wright State who has cerebral palsy and uses a computerized voice output system to communicate, sang the national anthem with her DynaVox. This was followed by a thunderous round of applause!

During the game, Wally B. Bear entertained children in the Kid’s Zone area and used a similar device from the Prentke Romich Company to communicate and teach kids about augmentative communication. Holly Pendleton, RN, director of general pediatrics and Gregory Ramey, PhD, child psychologist and vice president for outpatient services also volunteered to use devices to communicate during the game without actually talking. The final highlight of the event occurred after half time when they played a video of Hope Smith and Neal Lain, patients at Dayton Children’s. Both Neal and Hope attended the game along with many other families and Dayton Children’s staff members.

Thank you to everyone who helped with this amazing event - especially our incredible patients!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The Health Benefits of Antioxidants

Are you tired of hearing your child’s pediatrician or dietitian preach about increasing fruits and vegetables? Replacing refined carbohydrates with whole grains? Why not just give them a multivitamin? Perhaps you don’t eat fruits and vegetables and do not buy whole grain pasta or bread products. Are you thinking that the idea of making changes in your family’s eating habits is too much to handle right now? Besides, aren’t fruits and vegetables more expensive? Well, read on and learn!

Cardiovascular disease and cancer are the leading causes of death in the United States. The cost for treatment of these diseases can put families in dept due to medical costs. Antioxidants, which are abundant in fruit, vegetables and whole grains, have been shown to reduce risks related to these diseases.

Is it worth paying an extra penny to include more of these foods in your diet? The answer is YES!

Food sources high in antioxidants:
  • Vitamin C: Broccoli, oranges, watermelon, red bell peppers, kiwi, mango, pineapple, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes
  • Vitamin E (easily destroyed by heat): Vegetable oil, salad dressing, seeds, nuts,  and peanut butter
  • Beta-Carotene: Apricots, broccoli, pumpkin, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots
  • Flavonoids: Whole grains, berries, black tea, celery, citrus fruits, green tea, olives, onion, oregano, purple grapes, purple grape juice, soybeans, and vegetables
Tips to include more antioxidants in your child's diet:
  • Make it a habit to include fruit with your child’s breakfast, give them a choice between different fruits to increase acceptance.
  • Although fresh is best, if you find that fruits and vegetables age quickly in your home before use, buy canned or frozen instead to avoid waste.
  • Always include a vegetable with lunch and dinner, even if your child chooses not to eat it. Someday, they will surprise you! If they are never offered these foods, they will likely not choose them as they grow and become more independent…so start now!!!
  • Pasta sauce is a good source of antioxidants, dip bread sticks and pour onto meats/vegetables.
  • Do not spend an arm and leg on supplements, spend it on food, whole food!! Your child is worth it!
About our Expert: Shannon Burkett, RD, LD, dietician at Dayton Children's

Shannon is a gradute of Purdue University with a BA in elementary education and a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago with a DPD Dietetics and Nutrition.  She completed a dietetic internship at Miami Valley Hospital and worked at WIC and long term care before coming to Dayton Children's. Shannon has worked with the Hematology and Oncology population at Dayton Children's for two years.  She also has certificate in childhood and adolescent weight management through the American Dietetic Association. Her favorite hobby is cooking.  She loves trying new recipes and creating meals from scratch. She says, "There is just something that is so rewarding about eating a delicious healthy meal that I have created, without using prepacked, processed foods. It’s both good for my body and my family's health!"