June 2009 Archives

The Cooperative Extension Program of Prairie View A&M University (Dallas County) is proud to provide the Diabetes Education Awareness and Prevention (DEAP) program to residents of Dallas County.

DEAP is one of Extension's health and education efforts which takes a holistic approach to reducing diabetes in children and adults in minority communities.  The primary focus is creating lifestyle changes, including a healthy diet, exercise, and weight loss, if needed, to help prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.

*  There were more than 1.5 million new cases of diabetes in people 20 years or older in 2005;
*  Diabetes can lead to heart disease, blindness, dental disease, amputations, etc. if left    untreated;
*  Working together, people with diabetes and their health care providers can reduce the occurrence of complications by controlling the levels of blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids, and by receiving other preventive care practices in a timely manner.

To schedule your FREE DEAP diabetes class in Dallas County, please contact:
Marvin R. Young at 214-904-3050 or mryougn@tamu.edu.

Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Passenger Safety will be conducting the National Child Passenger Safety Certification Program in Gatesville, Texas, July 14-17, 2009. This course is recommended for community professionals who wish to bring child passenger safety expertise to their communities. It is especially useful to law enforcement and fire department/EMS staff who often have to contend with the tragic results of non-use and misuse of child safety seats.

The course covers such topics as crash dymanics, vehicle occupant protection systems, correct selection, use and installation of child restraint systems as well as communicating with parents on the safest way to restrain their children. Written and performance tests are given throughout the course. A child safety seat checkup event will be held in the community on the final day of the training. Participation in all course activities and successful performance on all testing leads to a two-year national certification as a child passenger safety technician.

National Safe Kids is the certifying agency for the national training. There is a $60 fee payable to National SAFE KIDS at the time of registration. This fee covers course materials as well as the 2-year certification. For course registration information, please contact Mryna Hill (mrhill@ag.tamu.edu) at 979-862-4658 or 210-452-1496 or Bev Kellner (bkellner@ag.tamu.edu) at 979-862-1782 or 979-571-3925. 

Registration is done on-line through Safe Kids Worldwide at http://www.safekids.org/certification/.

Along with the coming of spring and summer is the potential for dangerous weather patterns.  Some dangerous weather gives up plenty of time to prepare, where other dangerous weather situations can happen at the blink of an eye.

Therefore, early preparation is always of the utmost importance if we plan to reduce injuries and loss of life.

The following questions will assist us in knowing if we are prepared or if we need to start today with getting better prepared.

*  Do you know what types of disasters can take place in your area?
*  Have you developed a family disaster plan?
*  Do you regularly review your family disaster plan?
*  Does your family disaster plan include a plan for communicating with family members          separated  by disaster?
*  Have you ever received information on what to include in a disaster supplies kit?
*  Have you put together a disaster supplies kit?
*  Do you know how to shelter in place?
*  Do you know who to contact in your community for more information on disaster preparedness?
*  Are you familiar with your community's warning systems and evacuation routes?
*  Do you know where emergency shelters are located in your community and in surrounding communities?
Have you asked your child's school about their disaster plan?
*  Do you have a NOAA Weather Radio or other batter-operated radio to hear disaster-related information?

If you answered "NO" to the questions, visit the Texas EDEN Web site at texashelp.tamu.edu for disaster preparedness resources.  Or you may contact Marvin R. Young at mryoung@tamu.edu or 214-904-3050.  You may alo visit our websites at:
pvcep-pvamu.edu or dallas-tx.tamu.edu for mor detailed information.

Summertime is almost here, and with the increase in temperatures, the danger of children dying from being left unattended in vehicles increases.

Temperatures in parked vehicles can rise very quickly. According to San Francisco State University's department of geosciences, in just 10 minutes the temperature can increase by almost 20 degrees. A child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's, making children more vulnerable to a deadly condition known as hyperthermia or heat stroke. At a body temperature above 104 degrees, heat stroke can occur.

Although even mild outside temperatures can be dangerous, with Texas temperatures climbing into the upper 90s each day, the danger becomes even danger. Texas leads the nation with the highest number of vehicle hyperthermia deaths - 52 for the years 1998-2008. During this time period, more than half of the deaths were due to the child being "forgotten" in the vehicle by the caregiver. Parents and caregivers can take precautions to prevent these needless deaths by making sure that children are not left alone in vehicles and cannot have access to unlocked vehicles.

National Safe Kids report that one-third of the heat related deaths in 2000 were due to children becoming trapped in a vehicle they had crawled into.

Here are some safety tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• Never leave infants or children in a parked vehicle, even if the windows are partially open.
• Do not let children play in an unattended vehicle. Teach them that a vehicle is not a play area.
• Make a habit of looking in the vehicle - front and back - before locking the door and walking away.
• If you are dropping a child off at childcare, and normally it's your spouse or partner who drops them off, have your spouse or partner call you to make sure the drop went according to plan.
• Ask your childcare provider to call you if your child does not show up for childcare.
• Do things to remind yourself that a child is in the vehicle, such as writing yourself a note and putting the note where you will see it when you leave the vehicle; placing your purse, briefcase, or something else you need in the back seat so that you will have to check the back seat when you leave the vehicle. Another reminder is to keep an object in the car seat, such as a stuffed toy. When the child is buckled in, place the object where the driver will notice it when he or she is leaving the vehicle.
• Always lock vehicle doors and trunk, and keep keys out of children's reach.
• If a child is missing, check the vehicle first, including trunk.
• If you see a child alone in a hot vehicle, call the police.
• If a child is in distress due to heat, get them out of the vehicle as quickly as possible. Cool the child rapidly. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

While there are already some electronic gadgets on the market to help prevent these needless tragedies, the best precaution is to be vigilant and follow these safety recommendations.

 

Dad will be the cook at many Father's Day cookouts on June 21st!  Texas Dads enjoy grilling, and cookouts are very popular, especially during the summer months.  The following links will provide you with some new resouces about grilling healthfully.

Food for Fitness and Fun - http://www.extension.iastate.edu/FOOD/newsletter/2007/June2007.pdf

Grill it Safely - http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/articles/grilling.htm

Grilling and Barbecuing Food Safety - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Barbecue_Food_Safety/index.asp

Outdoor Grilling - http://urbanext.illinois.edu/grilling/

Texas Beef Council Grilling Recipes - http://www.txbeef.org/grilling?CCAID=texasbeef

Pork Producers Grilling Recipes - http://www.theotherwhitemeat.com/aspx/recipes/FindResults.aspx?cid=12&p=n

Healthy Grilling Tips on Poultry, Seafood and other foods - Mayo Clinic http://www.chef2chef.net/news/club/vol10v10-071-foodservice-daily.htm

 

Happy Father's Day!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Americans celebrate Father's Day on the third Sunday of June, which is June 21 this year. This day has been observed for a century to recognize the importance of fathers. Research on fathering shows that:

• Fathers are essential to the healthy growth and development of their children.
• Dads bring a unique perspective to the family and lives of their children.
• Mothers and fathers can love their children by supporting each other as parents.  

Children need fathers who love and care for them on a consistent basis. Listed below are 20 reasons why your child needs you to be an active father. Being an active father:

1. Lets your child know that you love him/her.
2. Provides your child with greater financial resources.
3. Provides your child with a positive male role model.
4. Provides your child with emotional support.
5. Enhances your child's self-esteem.
6. Enhances your child's intellectual development.
7. Provides your child with guidance and discipline.
8. Gives your child someone to play with.
9. Provides your child with someone to talk to when she has questions.
10. Increases your child's chances for academic success.
11. Provides your child with an alternative perspective on life.
12. Lowers your child's chances for early sexual activity.
13. Lowers your child's chances for school failure.
14. Lowers your child's chances for youth suicide.
15. Lowers your child's chances for juvenile delinquency.
16. Lowers your child's chances for adult criminality.
17. Provides your child with a sense of physical and emotional security.
18. Facilitates your child's moral development.
19. Promotes a healthy gender identity in your child.
20. Helps your child learn important life skills.

Fathers, your children need you! Make a commitment to be an active father. Your children will greatly benefit from your involvement in their lives.

For more information about fathering education contact Wenhsing Cheng at 214-904-3050 or wcheng@ag.tamu.edu.

Source:

T. Berry Brazelton, M.D. (1992). Touchpoints: The Essential References. MA: Perseus Books.

Wade F. Horn, David Blankenhorn, and Mitchell B. Pearlstein (Eds.), The Fatherhood Movement: A Call to Action. New York: Lexington Books.

Community service and volunteerism are hallmarks of the Texas Extension Education Association.  As a volunteer support group for Texas AgriLife Extension Service, members strengthen and enrich families through educational programs, leadership and community service.  Their vision is to be Texas' most effective volunteer organization supporting families through lifelong learning opportunities.   Offering opportunities for volunteer and leadership development, cultural and ethnic diversity in programs and membership, and global awareness, this association is involved in cooperative efforts with Texas AgriLife Extension Service to attain mutual goals.

As part of their commitment to community service, members Dee Yates, Florene Ray, and Extension FCS Agent Lexie McGrane, delivered 30 lap robes and 18 totebags, made by association members, to residents at Lindan Park Health & Rehabilitation Center in Richardson on June 3, 2009. 

For more information about the Texas Extension Education Association, contact Lexie McGrane at 214-904-3050 or amcgrane@ag.tamu.edu.

 

Why pack your lunch?

• Save money!  The average lunch out costs $6.00 to $10.00, but the average lunch from home costs $1.50.  That's a potential yearly savings of $1,125+!
• Better nutrition.  Research shows that meals prepared at home are more nutritious than those eaten out.  You will be more likely to get in your daily servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy with a lunch from home.  You'll also get fewer calories and fat grams from a home-packed lunch, and you might even have a little extra time for a walk after lunch; that means a lower chance of unwanted weight gain.
• Be more productive.  If you're skipping lunch because you didn't bring one, or are too busy to leave and get something, your productivity will decline along with your metabolism.  Eating regular meals and snacks helps our bodies and our minds stay on track.

What is a Healthy Lunch?

A healthy lunch should include one or two whole grains, a low-fat dairy item, lean protein, and at least one fruit or vegetable.  Don't forget about your drink; make it healthy too.  Try a bottle of water, skim or 1% milk, or 100% fruit or vegetable juice.  Stay away from regular sodas, fruit drinks (like "punch" or any other fruit-flavored drink that's not 100% juice), and sugary sports drinks.  Your goal should be to get as many nutrients in as you can at lunchtime, without over-doing it on calories and fat.

To find out how many calories - and amounts of specific foods - you need in a day, visit www.mypyramid.gov.  You can get a personalized MyPyramid just for you, track your eating habits, and get lots of great tips for fitting in plenty of healthy foods and planning nutritious meals.

Children who have outgrown their forward-facing seat (usually around age 4 & 40 lbs.) should ride in booster seats until 4'9" tall.

Take The 5-Step Test

1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?

2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?

3. Does the belt across the shoulder between the neck and arm?

4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?

5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?  

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right for the best crash protection. Your child will be more comfortable, too!

The back seat is the safest part of the car for all passengers. Recent research shows that children should ride in the back seat until they reach age 15.

Source: SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A., www.carseat.org

According to the American Dairy Association, the recommended amount of servings of dairy products we should consume is 3 servings every day.  In addition to milk, we can get our daily servings from cheese or yogurt.  Dairy provides nine essential nutrients, including calcium, potassium, phosphorus, viatmins A, D and B12, riboflavin, and niacin. 

Research shows that Americans are eating only half the recommended servings of dairy.  The 3-A-Day campaign was created to remind families to get 3 daily servings of milk, cheese or yogurt for stronger bones and better bodies.

June is Dairy Month, a good time to make 3-A-Day part of your family's healthy lifestyle.

For more information about the 3-A-Day program, and dairy product recipes, visit the American Dairy Association at http://www.dairyinfo.com.

Child care providers play a vital role in caring for America's children. According to recent estimates, over 13 million children under the age of five receive some type of non-parental care on a regular basis. Further estimates indicate that approximately 24 million school-age children and youth are in need of some form of after-school care.

The quality of care that children receive does matter! Children who receive high quality care develop better language, math, and social skills, exhibit fewer behavior problems, and tend to be better prepared for entrance into school.

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service's Child Care website (http://fcs.tamu.edu/families/child_care/index.php) offers research-based information on child care related issues, including newsletters, fact sheets, and on-line courses for child care providers to satisfy state mandated training requirements.

For additional information about child care training in Dallas County contact Wenhsing at wcheng@ag.tamu.edu.  

In the event an emergency happens and we find ourselves in the unenviable position of evacuating, just what should we do or where should we go?  Well, some of the things that we should have already discussed are as follows:
*  Escape routes (local and regional);
*  Family Communication;
*  Communication with emergency personnel;
*  Utility shut-off and safety;
*  Insurance and vital records;
*  Special Needs;
*  Safety Skills; and
*  Pet Care;

If you wish to receive more detailed information about ?Making a Family Plan", please contact Marvin R. Young to schedule an appointment for a presentation at 214-904-3050 or mryoung@tamu.edu, or visit our websites:
http://dallas-tx.tamu.edu
http://pvcep.pvamu.edu