Friday, May 28, 2010

Keep Your Pets Safe When Traveling This Summer

Summer is just around the corner, school is almost out, the weather is heating up and bags are being packed. Many Americans will soon head out on vacation and bring along their four-legged friend. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, an estimated 29.1 million Americans have traveled with a pet in the past three years. However, few consider the many safety and regulation issues associated with pet travel until it’s too late. PETCO (www.petco.com) and pet expert Tracie Hotchner, host of NPR’s Gracie-Award® winning show “Dog Talk”® and “Cat Chat”® on the Martha Stewart channel of SiriusXM satellite radio, have teamed up to educate vacationers on the many challenges associated with pet travel and how to better prepare yourself and your furry friend.



CHALLENGE #1: Ensuring Your Establishment is Pet-Friendly
SOLUTION: You may be surprised to learn that finding a pet-friendly hotel is easier than ever if you know where to look. The Internet is a great place to start for the most up-to-date and timely information. There are also many websites that have comprehensive lists of pet-friendly (www.petco.com) hotels and campgrounds. Stop by an AAA office to pick up their localized pet guide. Extra tip: when staying in your home-away-from-home, feed pets on the tile bathroom floor to help with hotel cleanup and always tip the maid for a job well done.

CHALLENGE #2: Knowing What to Pack for Your Pet
SOLUTION: Packing for a pet is much like packing for a child -- you must prepare for every occasion. Make sure your dog has a collar listing your mobile number not your home number. Microchips are another surefire way to ensure a pet’s safe return if lost. Prepare your pets’ normal food in plastic bags, as switching their diet can result in stomach upset. For those packing lightly, freeze dried meals are available and easy to pack such as Grandma Lucy’s raw dehydrated premium foods sold in the natural section of PETCO. Always pack towels to cover the back seat of your car or rental car, as well as plastic bags to pick up after your pet regardless of local laws. Water is also critical, so bring portable water bowls and plenty of water. You can find PETCO brand foldable bowls at your nearest location. Simplify things by creating a pet travel kit with food, treats, favorite toys, any medicines and health documents.

CHALLENGE #3: Inconsistent & Confusing Pet Travel Airline Regulations
SOLUTION: There are so many things to consider when traveling by air and information is often confusing and ever-changing. Tracie says, “beginning your journey with a pre-approved pet carrier always helps to ensure your airline travel runs smooth.” PETCO and Sherpa have partnered with American Airlines to create the ''Guaranteed on Board'' program, which includes universally approved pet carriers that come with all the necessary information for airline pet travel (www.petco.com). To avoid confusion at the airport, plan ahead by making a reservation for your pet. Most airlines only allow a small number of animals in the cargo area and an even smaller number of animals inside the cabin. If your pet is traveling in the cabin with you, they must fit comfortably under your seat in a pre-approved carrier and not be taken out for the duration of the flight. Additionally, make sure you have your pets’ health certificate, pet passport for international travel, and proof of age. Always check with your individual airline before taking off so you have the most up-to-date information.

CHALLENGE #4: Dealing with a Nervous Animal
SOLUTION: Just like humans, pets become anxious when put in new situations. “Before traveling, get your pet acquainted with their carrier or take them in the car to a place other than the vet,” Tracie suggests. The more familiar your animal is with their surroundings, the more at ease they will be. Most vets agree that you should not give your pet a tranquilizer before they fly. Your pet is more likely to deal better with their anxiety without tranquilizers. Additionally, less food in the animal’s system is less likely to upset his/her digestive track making the animal feel more at ease.

CHALLENGE #5: Ensuring Pet Safety
SOLUTION: A recent survey from petrelocation.com stated that 80 percent of those traveling with their pet say the safety of their pet is the most important thing when planning their travel arrangements. While driving in your car, Tracie suggests a dog seatbelt or a barrier. '''These products can be found in a major pet store like PETCO, and can help keep your animal contained and comfortable in the car.'' Try PETCO’s adjustable auto safety vest harness. Additionally, make sure not to leave your pet in the car for an extended time. Even leaving your pet in the car for a short amount of time on a hot day can be lethal. When traveling by air, Tracie suggests ''not letting your pet travel in the cargo area of a plane unless necessary.'' Although the cargo area is pressurized, its temperature often relates to the temperature outside the aircraft, which can be very hot or very cold.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Search Engine Optimization Tips

Here are some tips for Search Engine Optimization:

For a moment let us put ourselves into the shoes of search engines owners and creators. A few years ago, a directory submitting to thousands of other sites needed you to put in a lot of work, time and determination. After the software and online scripts, which automatically submit pages to directories, appeared, gaining hundreds or thousands of links in a short period of time is not a problem any more.  At the same time, the  number of websites is growing by leaps and bounds every day and it increases competition for particular keywords. The search engines have to find sites which best suit to the search phrase from millions of sites.

In light of all of these factors, the people who design and keep re-inventing the search engines have been forced to use special filters. In their opinion, on the one hand, the inflow of the large number of useless links from sites submitted to the thousands of directories is limited, and the focus is only on these which prove the real quality of the page. On the other hand,  only these sites, which best suit the topic of the search, are fund. Therefore, nowadays it is better to have our one or two links on quality sites than one hundred in useless directories. At the same time, much attention should be paid to the search engine optimization of keywords, which still remains to be the primary factor for determining the theme of the site.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Many Young Women Ignorant About STDs

Can stigmas about testing hinder the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and screening among young women?



“Based on my clinical experience and now by the results of this study, it’s clear many women have significant misconceptions about STDs and STD testing,” says Dr. Heather Royer, a University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing (http://son.wisc.edu/) researcher who recently completed a study of young women’s knowledge and beliefs about STDs. ''Those beliefs may influence continued disease transmission.''

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in four young women is infected with at least one of the four most common STDS affecting women -- human papillomavirus (HPV), Chlamydia, genital herpes, and trichomoniasis. About 19 million new sexually transmitted infections occur each year among all age groups in the United States while half of these infections occur in the 18-to-24 age group.

Royer surveyed 302 women, 18 to 24 years old, about their beliefs about STD testing. She found barriers to testing that include:

- The great majority of women (88 percent) were uncomfortable being tested by a male.
- Most women (79 percent) would prefer being tested by a specialist, not a family doctor.
- Most women (62 percent) were anxious about being tested.
- Nearly a third (31 percent) were concerned about STD results appearing in their medical records.
Royer found that many women had additional misconceptions about the STD testing process.

- STD-related symptoms were the most common reason (99 percent) why a woman would request STD testing; however, STDs are commonly asymptomatic.
- More than half (58 percent) believed that a health care provider would not conduct STD testing if they tell the provider that they use condoms, suggesting the lack of recognition that some STDs can be transmitted even with condom use.
- Nearly half (40 percent) inaccurately believed that routine STD testing includes screening for eight STDs including: Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Trichomoniasis, Syphilis, Human Papillomavirus, Herpes Simplex Virus, Hepatitis B and AIDS/HIV.
- About one-third of respondents mistakenly thought that infections such as Chlamydia and gonorrhea could be diagnosed solely by visual inspection, without a diagnostic test.
- One quarter mistakenly thought that a Pap smear could detect Chlamydia (26 percent) and gonorrhea (23 percent).
Health care providers, Royer says, should not assume that the patient understands the sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing process, or feels comfortable leading the discussion about their sexual health or requesting STD testing.

''It may also be helpful for providers to think about their own level of comfort in initiating and/or participating in a sexual health discussion with their patients,'' Royer says.

"Health care providers must be mindful of women's discomfort in discussing their sexual health and consider ways to help reframe this conversation from one of embarrassment to one of empowerment," Royer adds. "Normalizing the sexual-health conversation is the first step in reducing the stigma surrounding sexually transmitted diseases and helping improve women’s knowledge about STDs and STD testing.”

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Help Raising Kids With Health Eating Attitude

With the incidence of disordered eating continuing to rise among children, being a psychologically savvy parent can help significantly decrease chances that kids will develop an eating disorder or have a poor body image, says New York City-based psychologist and eating disorder specialist Dr. Stacey Rosenfeld (http://www.staceyrosenfeld.com/). Disordered eating --whether obesity, anorexia, or other forms -- can be prevented in many cases if parents look at their own bodies differently.

“While eating disorders have genetic components and are influenced by peer groups and media exposure, there are concrete ways that parents can help promote healthy eating and a positive body image for their children. Kids are very smart and they pick up on their parents’ relationship with their own bodies and with food.” Dr. Rosenfeld explains.

Parents may not even realize that when they themselves count calories or nonchalantly criticize their own body -- or someone else’s -- that they may be sending cues to their child which can have long-term and serious repercussions. “Children need to feel confident about themselves and their bodies -- no matter what shape or size they are -- in order to have a healthy lifelong relationship with food. This starts with modeling their parents and seeing a positive body image and security in one’s own skin,” Dr. Rosenfeld says.

Dr. Rosenfeld’s (http://www.staceyrosenfeld.com/) advice for parents:

•    Do not count calories or talk about dieting in front of your children.
•    Throw out your scale and stop weighing yourself. Your child sees everything you do and seeing you weigh yourself has a significant impact on their perception of weight and body.
•    Limit your child’s access to television, magazines, and other places where unrealistic images of how people should look, are often presented.
•    Talk about food with regard to how it can nourish your body, rather than its effects on weight. Focus on health, not on calories, fats, or carbohydrates.
•    Do not judge or criticize your body -- or anyone else’s body -- in front of your kids. Never use the word “fat” or “thin” about anyone. Never even glance in the mirror in a critical way at yourself.
•    Encourage physical activity for the sake of health, rather than weight control.
•    Focus on all of your child’s strengths outside of their body, and make it a point to tell them how beautiful he or she is.
•    Focus on the physical strengths of your children, yourself, and of other role models so that kids can learn how to put more emphasis on what their bodies can do, rather than how they look.
•    Children should not be deprived of food. Everything in moderation is better than deprivation and then a binge when their parents are not around.

When parents focus more on moving their bodies rather than on counting calories, they are less likely to raise children who are obese or have other eating disorders and body image issues. Parents should encourage children to participate in daily physical activities that they enjoy, and get moving as a family.

If parents recognize that they have an unhealthy relationship with food, they should seek professional help for themselves. This will ultimately help their children. For more about body acceptance, click here (http://www.eat-in-peace.com/how_to_eat_in_peace).

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Teaching Kids How To Avoid Dog Bites

During the third week in May, Doggone Safe Inc., Pet At Home Sitting Services, Inc., “Pet At Home,” and other organizations will be calling attention to one of the nation’s most commonly reported public health problems: dog bites. Half of all children will be bitten by a dog by age 12 and the majority of these bites are by the family dog or other dog known to the child.



Deedra Thompson of Pet At Home Sitting Services will be presenting the “Doggone Safe Be a Tree” children’s program on Tuesday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. at
All Paws Animal Clinic, located at 1011 North State Rd 7, Royal Palm Beach in the Regal Cinema Plaza. Bring your child and learn to be a doggie detective. The class is catered to school age children and there is no charge for the class, but registration is required. Please call All Paws today at 561-790-9225 to reserve a space for your child. One parent is requested to accompany the child.

Doggone Safe, a non-profit organization dedicated to dog bite prevention through education offers free information at its website www.doggonesafe.com to help promote safety messages during dog bite prevention week. Doggone Safe also promotes the “Doggone Safe Be a Tree” children’s program. This program is a short presentation with large photos and lots of activities to teach children to understand the signs dogs send with their body language. The central message of this program is “Be a Tree”. That is, stand still if a strange dog approaches or any dog is threatening or overly frisky. Children learn to be doggie detectives, looking for the clues that dogs give with body language to show how they are feeling.

Doggone Safe and Pet At Home offer the following tips for parents and dog owners to help keep kids safe:

The 3 Most Important Things to Teach Your Kids
1.    Dogs Don’t Like Hugs and Kisses – Teach your kids not to hug or kiss a dog on the face. Hugging the family dog or face-to-face contact are common causes of bites to the face. Instead, teach kids to scratch the dog on the chest or the side of the neck.
2.    Be a Tree if a Strange Dog Approaches – Teach kids to stand still, like a tree. Trees are boring and the dog will eventually go away. This works for strange dogs and anytime the family dog gets too frisky or becomes aggressive.
3.    Never Tease a Dog – and never disturb a dog that’s sleeping, eating or protecting something.

The 2 Most Important Things Parents Can Do
1.    Supervise – Don’t assume your dog is good with kids. If a toddler must interact with your dog, you should have your hands on the dog too. Even if your dog is great with kids and has never bitten – why take a chance?
2.    Train the dog – Take your dog to obedience classes where positive-reinforcement is used. Never pin, shake, choke, hold the dog down or roll the dog over to teach it a lesson. Dogs treated this way are likely to turn their aggression on weaker family members. Involve older children in training the family dog while supervising. Don’t allow children to punish the dog. Condition the dog to enjoy the presence and actions of children using positive experiences.

The 3 Most Important Things Dog Owners can do
1.    Spay or Neuter Your Dog – Neutered pets are calmer, healthier and less likely to be aggressive. Neutering prevents unwanted dogs that may end up in shelters or in less than ideal conditions where they may grow up to be poorly socialized or aggressive.
2.    Condition Your Dog for the World – Give your puppy lots of new positive experiences. Train using positive methods i.e. clicker training.
3.    Supervise Your Dog – Supervise your dog at all times around children. Do not allow children to hug and kiss the dog. If visiting children are bothering your dog, put the dog away or send the children home.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

How to Improve Your Children's Reading Skills

While it is common knowledge that reading to children helps them learn to read, a recent study suggests that by pointing to the words being read and talking about print, children's literacy development can be greatly enhanced.



The study published in the journal Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (www.asha.org) (ASHA), was conducted to determine the effectiveness of teachers' use of a print-referencing style during story time.

The results showed that preschool teachers can make very small adjustments in the way they read books aloud that make very large differences in children's literacy development. In a study of 379 children, those who experienced a print-referencing style of reading had significantly higher print knowledge scores after only 30 weeks.

"This study was conducted in classrooms with preschool teachers but has direct implications for parents,” according to first author Laura Justice, PhD, CCC-SLP. "Parents can easily help their children become better readers by not only reading to them every night but by also pointing to the words as they read aloud to their child.” Justice further explains that "although reading aloud is important to children's language development, its influence mostly affects oral language skills unless adults explicitly reference the written code. Talking to children about words that, for example, begin with the letter R after reading the word radio can greatly enhance literacy development.”

The entire paper can be found at http://lshss.asha.org/cgi/content/abstract/0161-1461_2010_09-0056.

About the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 140,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing and balance disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems including swallowing disorders.