Living Green in 2012: Tips & Tricks that Make Going Green Easy!

“What's in this book could change the trajectory of children's health.” Those words were spoken by former U.S. Surgeon General Julius Richmond, M.D., in 2007, shortly after the release of Raising Baby Green, the best-selling book written by Alan Greene, M.D., a pediatrician in Danville, CA, and one of the first (and most prominent) voices in the green-baby movement. So we asked the aptly named doctor to pick the top natural and eco-friendly ideas, breakthroughs, services, and products for everyday families. (You know who you are: You want to do right by your kids, but you're not ready to use a spruce as a loofah.) 

1. Rated G (for green): Set in a swaying 3-D underwater world, the animated hit Bubble Guppies on Nick Jr. encourages kids to be active (the characters regularly ask viewers to “Get up and dance!” or “Go outside!”) and learn about bettering their world. The “Boy Meets Squirrel” episode may be the best programming I've seen about recycling and the environment.

2. Parenting.com Facebook readers say they spend money on "green" food, followed by cleaning supplies, skin care, and clothing.  

3Baby-bottle backtrackIn my universe, this was one of the most dramatic announcements of the past year: Last October a coalition of companies that produce bisphenol-A (BPA) asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to eliminate rules that allow the chemical to be used in baby bottles and sippy cups. Think about that: The manufacturers of BPA want the FDA to ban BPA. Just five years ago, BPA was found in most baby bottles; now it's almost impossible to find. This is great news, but there's more work to be done. Next stop: removing it from canned goods.

4 A really smart plugHome appliances, televisions, lights left on overnight to keep monsters at bay: Families use a lot of energy. So I'm happy that smart plugs are becoming more common. Smart plugs go into regular home outlets and show you where your real energy costs are so you can adjust your usage accordingly. The Thinkeco modlet ($50; themodlet.com) is an easy plug-and-play option.

5Cool your nest The world's first learning thermostat is my favorite new gadget. In a typical home, the thermostat controls about 50 percent of the energy bill. Keeping it programmed just right could save your family hundreds of dollars—and lots of wasted energy. Enter Nest: a thermostat that learns your schedule (when you're asleep or away from home) and programs itself. You can even change the settings from your smartphone. Simple to use, with a sleek, modern design, Nest may do for heating and cooling what the iPod did for music. ($249; nest.com)

6Save the planet in the checkout line Reusable grocery bags are finally becoming mainstream. And they're worth it! Of the more than 10 million pieces of garbage picked up on ocean beaches on Coastal Cleanup Day 2009, more than 1.1 million were plastic bags (second only to cigarette butts). Families are big contributors: The average household accumulates 60 plastic bags in only four trips to the grocery store. Kicking the single-use-bag habit together can make a big impact. Check out ChicoBag's line of Vita shopping bags, as well as its Produce Stand line, which eliminates the need for single-use, disposable produce bags (chicobag.com). Envirosax (shown above, left and center) are an inexpensive, eye-catching option (envirosax.com).

1.1 millionplastic bags wasted yearly in the U.S.A.

7So long, Food PyramidThe USDA's iconic triangular g

3. Baby-bottle back track: In my universe, this was one of the most dramatic announcements of the past year: Last October a coalition of companies that produce bisphenol-A (BPA) asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to eliminate rules that allow the chemical to be used in baby bottles and sippy cups. Think about that: The manufacturers of BPA want the FDA to ban BPA. Just five years ago, BPA was found in most baby bottles; now it's almost impossible to find. This is great news, but there's more work to be done. Next stop: removing it from canned goods.

4. A really smart plug: Home appliances, televisions, lights left on overnight to keep monsters at bay: Families use a lot of energy. So I'm happy that smart plugs are becoming more common. Smart plugs go into regular home outlets and show you where your real energy costs are so you can adjust your usage accordingly. The Thinkeco modlet ($50; themodlet.com) is an easy plug-and-play option.

5. Cool your nest: The world's first learning thermostat is my favorite new gadget. In a typical home, the thermostat controls about 50 percent of the energy bill. Keeping it programmed just right could save your family hundreds of dollars—and lots of wasted energy. Enter Nest: a thermostat that learns your schedule (when you're asleep or away from home) and programs itself. You can even change the settings from your smartphone. Simple to use, with a sleek, modern design, Nest may do for heating and cooling what the iPod did for music. ($249; nest.com)

6. Save the planet in the checkout line: Reusable grocery bags are finally becoming mainstream. And they're worth it! Of the more than 10 million pieces of garbage picked up on ocean beaches on Coastal Cleanup Day 2009, more than 1.1 million were plastic bags (second only to cigarette butts). Families are big contributors: The average household accumulates 60 plastic bags in only four trips to the grocery store. Kicking the single-use-bag habit together can make a big impact. Check out ChicoBag's line of Vita shopping bags, as well as its Produce Stand line, which eliminates the need for single-use, disposable produce bags (chicobag.com). Envirosax (shown above, left and center) are an inexpensive, eye-catching option (envirosax.com).1.1 millionplastic bags wasted yearly in the U.S.A.

7. So long, Food Pyramid:The USDA's iconic triangular guide to family feeding recommendations is officially gone. And thank goodness! It's been replaced by a colorful plate that emphasizes making half of your child's meal fruits and vegetables. This new school of thought will produce healthier kids and a healthier planet. Get started at choose myplate.gov. The site is loaded with cool tools, including the Food-a-pedia, which offers nutritional information on 8,000 foods and allows you to compare foods side by side.

8. Kids in the kitchen: Thanks in part to Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign, kids are spending more time in the kitchen. Two of my favorite kids' cookbooks are Mollie Katzen's Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers & Up (try the Chewy Energy Circles or the Polka Dot Rice) and Salad People and More Real Recipes. For an online resource, don't miss spatulatta.com; sisters Belle and Liv Gerasole have 350 step-by-step video recipes that teach kids how to cook. At age 8, Liv became the only single-digit winner on the planet of a James Beard Award. (She shared the award with Belle, who was 10.)

9. Healthy eats on aisle five: Want to know how natural that breakfast cereal is? Use the GoodGuide app (free). Scan any product with a bar code, and find out how green it is while shopping. The app offers health, environmental, and social-performance ratings for more than 130,000 food, personal care, and household products. Customize settings to prioritize the issues you're most concerned about.

10. All-natural homemade treats…but not what you think: Etsy is a great website to find—or sell—handmade or vintage items. It's a marketplace for small businesses (many of them momtrepreneurs working from home) aimed at changing commerce to make it more fair, sustainable, and fun. And there is a vibrant green community within Etsy: Find these vendors by using tags such as “recycled,” “upcycled,” “repurposed,” and, of course, “eco-friendly” and “organic.”

11. Dishwashers that save energy—and the family budget: One of the most buzzed-about trends at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show was smart appliances that tell you the least expensive times to cook or clean. Smart refrigerators monitor daily use and climatic conditions, and adjust the temperature accordingly to keep foods fresh. I'm particularly impressed by GE's Brillion series of appliances. To avoid those energy-zapping wash cycles, the Brillion washer (below), with the help of your home's smart meter, runs during low-cost hours. You can even monitor the appliances' energy usage from an iPhone app. (geappliances.com)

12. My new favorite holiday: Food Day (October 24; foodday.org) celebrates healthy food produced in a sustainable, humane way. Last year there were 2,300 events across 50 states, including an “eat-in” in Times Square with Mario Batali. For adults, it's about supporting “real food” policy. (Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree used Food Day 2011 to announce a bill that assists small and midsize farms.) For children, it's about their health and well-being. A typical child's diet commonly increases the waistline and blood pressure, and puts the arteries on the road to heart disease. Food Day is helping change that.2,300 Food Day events across 50 states!

13. When something's fishy: Developed by the good people at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Seafood Watch is a simple app (free; for the iPhone and Android) that lets you find restaurants and markets that sell sustainable seafood and sushi that's caught or farmed in ways that are good for the oceans. (It uses the GPS in your phone to find the closest options.) And it lets you share the locations with others and contribute your own finds. I keep it loaded on my iPhone.

14. Ready, set, game!: Video games used to give only our thumbs a workout. Now they're getting gamers up off the sofa and encouraging the movement our bodies were designed for. This trend started with Wii and Microsoft Kinect. Coming soon is Wii U (shown above), a new console with a controller that allows movement. It's due later this year.

15. Natural nursery: As parents, we can't control the whole environment, but we can upgrade the environment at home, especially what goes in, on, and near our little ones. I've recently discovered Babyganics (babyganics.com), a line of natural cleaning products, baby wipes, and other baby products. Its Foamin' Fun Shampoo & Body Wash will be a big hit at bathtime, I promise. For bathrooms and kitchens, try Mrs. Meyer's all-purpose cleaners and dish soaps, which trade traditional cleaning ingredients—ammonia, chlorine, parabens, and phosphates—for natural essential oils. (mrsmeyers.com)

16. Crowd-source your diet: The app I'm using most right now is The Eatery (free). Simply snap pictures of everything you eat, and upload them. Others rate the healthiness of your meals; you rate other people's. (In under one year, the app has surpassed 2 million food ratings.) The Eatery uses the data to track eating habits, and not just your own. For example, in New York City, people eat the worst in the Financial District; as they move uptown, their eating habits get better. I find myself making better choices.The Eatery app has become hugely popular: In one year, users have added 2 million food ratings.

17. The new “share” button: Websites dedicated to lending and swapping have become increasingly prevalent. Freecycle, Neigh Borrow, and Zilok make it easy to find whatever you need—from high chairs to pack 'n plays to tricycles—in your area. It's not only about saving money but about reducing waste as well.

You can also read the article here: 

http://www.parenting.com/article/living-green-in-2012?page=0,3

MedPageToday: "Autism Rates Climbing"

In a large autism monitoring network, an estimated one out of every 88 8-year-olds had an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 2008, the most recent year with data available, CDC researchers reported.

That's a relative increase of 23% from a previous analysis of data from the same network for 2006, when the estimated prevalence was one out of 111 children, and a 73% relative increase from 2002, according to a surveillance summary in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

But getting a firm grasp on the prevalence of ASD is tricky because of a lack of objective diagnostic markers and changes in clinical definitions over time, so it's unknown how much of the increase is real and how much is related to changing diagnostic criteria and better identification of cases.

"Given substantial increases in ASD prevalence estimates over a relatively short period, overall and within various subgroups of the population, continued monitoring is needed to quantify and understand these patterns," Jon Baio, EdS, of the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Development Disabilities, wrote in the report.

The researchers collected data from the 14 sites of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, which conducts active surveillance system of children who are 8 years old, the age at which ASD prevalence peaks.

Prevalence is estimated not on the basis of professional or family reporting of a diagnosis but on analysis of the children's evaluation records from multiple sources, including general pediatric health clinics, specialized programs for children with developmental disabilities, and special education programs in public schools.

Children are considered to have an ASD if they display behaviors consistent with autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), or Asperger disorder.

The methods within ADDM have remained consistent every year, allowing comparisons over time.

The 2008 prevalence varied widely among the ADDM sites, from 4.8 per 1,000 children in Alabama to 21.2 in Utah.

As seen in previous studies, boys had a substantially higher rate than girls (18.4 versus 4 per 1,000).

In addition, non-Hispanic white children had a higher rate than non-Hispanic black children or Hispanic children (12 per 1,000 versus 10.2 and 7.9, respectively).

The researchers noted that the ADDM sites are not nationally representative and that the results should not be generalized to children throughout the country.

ScienceDaily: "Mayo Clinic Study Finds Higher Incidence Rate Of Reading Disability Among Boys"

ScienceDaily (Nov. 15, 2001) — ROCHESTER, MINN. -- Boys were two to three times more likely than girls to be affected by reading disabilities, according to a Mayo Clinic study of 5,718 children in Rochester, Minn.

The objective of the study was to report the incidence of reading disability among school-aged children. Overall, the incidence of reading disability was 5.3 percent to 11.8 percent depending on the definition used to establish it. (Incidence, a measure of singular importance in epidemiology, is primarily used to estimate the risk individuals have of acquiring a particular condition.)

The study’s results and an editorial on the topic appear in the November issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. "Our study provides a powerful opportunity to learn more about reading disability," says Slavica K. Katusic, M.D., a Mayo Clinic epidemiologist and the primary author of the study. "These data demonstrate that reading disability is common among children and should be included among the differential diagnoses considered in children having problems with learning. Moreover, these data suggest that this diagnosis should be given a higher prior probability in boys than in girls."

The majority -- approximately 80 percent -- of children identified as having learning disabilities have their primary academic problem in reading. The World Federation of Neurology defines reading disability as a disorder manifested by difficulty in learning to read despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence and sociocultural opportunity.

The study’s report is from an ongoing epidemiologic study of learning disability among all children born from 1976 through 1982 in Rochester, Minn. An interdisciplinary team of investigators used comprehensive, medical, educational and tutorial resources available on all 5,718 children.

Currently, there are no universally accepted tests, assessment batteries or standards for identifying children with learning disability. The Mayo researchers report that they employed the most widely used approaches to determine eligibility for reading disability intervention.

In an editorial in the same issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Drake D. Duane, M.D., of the Institute for Developmental Behavioral Neurology in Scottsdale, Ariz., says the Mayo Clinic data have implications for shaping public policy.

"For society and its educational systems, the question of the incidence of learning disorders is crucial if the academic outcome for each learner is to be optimized," writes Dr. Duane. "What are the characteristics of the students who require altered educational instruction, what specific alterations must that instruction entail, and when and for how long should it be delivered?"

He notes that the Mayo Clinic researchers point out that the Minnesota data does not overestimate the incidence of reading disability; they are probably close to quantifying the actual occurrence, Dr. Duane writes.

"This report from an academic medical center powerfully demonstrates the utility of interdisciplinary investigation in matters of education that may help shape appropriate public policy," Dr. Duane concludes his editorial.

Creating a Sensory Lifestyle through Proprioception

Occupational Therapy Corner

By Britt Collins M.S. OTR

We have eight sensory systems that affect our ability to function.  Tactile, visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory, vestibular, interoceptive and proprioceptive.  Today we are going to focus on the proprioceptive system but if you have further questions regarding any of the other systems, please visit www.spdfoundation.net to learn more.

Proprioception is the input to our muscles and joints that tell us where our body is in space.  If I was to tell you to close your eyes and I placed your right arm straight out in front of you, would you be able to match your left arm to it?  You should if you have good proprioceptors.  We get feedback to this system by learning as infants how to roll, crawl, cruise etc.  We also receive input to our receptors by doing “heavy work” activities.  If you don’t know how much force to use when writing with a pencil you may break the tip.  Ifyou are not quite sure where your body is in space, you may fall out of your chair.

Many of us know children who have trouble understanding and processing this system.   You may also see these children have difficulties with organization of behavior, they may seek or crave deep pressure input, and they may need to constantly touch others or objects.  To best understand how to help a child process their proprioceptive system correctly we need to talk about the subtypes of SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder).  This will help determine what the best way to treat the child.

Dr. Lucy J Miller’s poses in her research, that SPD is broken down into 6 subtypes.

1. Sensory Modulation Disorder
   1. Sensory Over-Responsivity (SOR)
   2. Sensory Under-Responsivity (SUR)
   3. Sensory Craving (SC)
   4. Sensory Based Motor Disorder
      1. Postural Disorder
      2. Dyspraxia
      3. Discrimination Disorder
         1. Visual
         2. Auditory
         3. Tactile
         4. Taste/smell
         5. Position/movement
         6. Interoception

Its best to try and explain each subtype and then relate that to the proprioceptive system as can be done for all systems so one can understand the reason behind the choice of treatment.

If a child is Sensory Over-Responsive, their bodies feel things too quick too fast and their system can go into fight, flight or freeze mode.  A child who shows signs of SOR in the proprioceptive system may refuse to jump, hop or skip and may not like the feeling of pressure on legs or feet.

Sensory Under-Responsive are children who are slow to move, the “couch potato” kiddo who is difficult to motivate.  They may choose sedentary activities over movement most or all of the time.  These children may appear withdrawn or self-absorbed.  In the proprioceptive system, they may show signs of weak muscles, slumping in their chair or having to lean on things to stand.

If a child is a Sensory Craver they actually “crave” the input to their bodies almost like an addiction.  These children seem to constantly need deep pressure input, constantly touching others, moving and crashing into things all the time.  You might see a kiddo who gives hard high fives, pets animals with too much force, always wants you to hug them really tight; they may have liked being swaddled tight as an infant.  These kiddo’s also may push down so hard when coloring they break their crayons, or tear the paper.

When moving into the second category of SPD we talk about Postural Disorders and Dyspraxia.  Children who demonstrate decreased postural control can be clumsy, uncoordinated, have poor posture and have trouble even maintaining a sitting position.  Children with Dyspraxia can have difficulty with coming up with new play ideas, sequencing a task, or motor planning how their body needs to carry out that new motor task.

The third category is Sensory Discrimination Disorder and a child can demonstrate difficulties in any of the 8 systems.  For proprioception, they may not know how much force to use when trying to pick up something heavy, they may not be able to discriminate the amount of pressure they use when writing or drawing.  You may see a child who has trouble judging how much force to use during motor tasks like kicking a ball, opening and closing doors etc.

When you notice a child having difficulties with any of the above listed sensory subtypes, they probably are having issues with multiple sensory systems.  As a clinician, you want to focus on following the child’s lead and building a relationship with them first.  Then as you gain their trust, you can slowly introduce them to more sensory stimuli through play activities.  You never want to force a sensory activity on a child.  If you are targeting their proprioceptive system, you may want to combine certain play ideas to help them activate several sensory systems at once.  For example, if the child wants to play a “fireman” game and they have a hard time in the area of Sensory Craving, you may want them to help you set up the game by pushing and pulling materials or equipment to set it up.  Have them carry over a heavy rope for the fireman to climb.  Maybe they have to create a swing obstacle course to get to the burning building up a ladder.  Have them participate in the heavy work activities while setting up the game for deep proprioceptive input to help organize them.  Then as they are going through, if they become too over-aroused and excited, slow your body and voice down and create a scenario where they have to stop and cognitively process how they are going to rescue the kitten from the burning building without getting hurt.  This will help slow down their impulse control as well.

Another example may be if a child has difficulties with Dyspraxia and completing new motor tasks, you can challenge them to a game where they can’t touch the hot lava on the ground as they cross over the jungle.  The child may struggle with grading their movements appropriately and knowing how hard or fast to move their bodies to get to the next obstacle in the jungle.  You can have them help set up going through a tire, over a bolster, climbing onto a swing and timing a jump to a crash pad all pretending these are part of the jungle and if they fall into the hot lava they have to start over again.  You may need to help them physically with some of the obstacles especially if they have poor body awareness.

There are many examples of how to use proprioceptive input to help a child organize their sensory systems, but we really want to embed it into a play theme so the child doesn’t realize they are “working”.  Other tips you can do with a child for a home program could be:

• Eating crunchy and chewy foods help provide proprioceptive feedback to the mouth and jaw and can help calm and organize.
• Drinking a smoothie or applesauce through a straw
• Chewing on a chewy tube (if age appropriate) to help get input (can help decrease teeth grinding)
• Chewing gum if appropriate
• Fill a laundry basket up with heavy toys and have the child push it along the hallway (a relay race with siblings)
• Have your child help re-arrange the furniture
• Create an obstacle course in your living room with the couch cushions, tunnel, pillows, crawling under chairs etc.
• If you have a mini trampoline they can jump and then crash onto a homemade crash pad or a pile of pillows while practicing saying the alphabet or math flash cards
• Wrapping them up in heavy quilts or blankets for a calming affect (always leave the head out)
• When sleeping, they may like deep pressure of body pillows, create a small space, push the bed against the wall, line it with pillows for a cozy sleeping place
• Create a tent in their room with bean bags and weighted blankets if they need a place to go when they get upset
• Playing with thera-putty or play-doh can help give input to the hands and wrist
• Wheelbarrow walking
• Wall pushups, chair pushups
• At school have the child help put all the chairs up at the end of the day
• Teach them how to give themselves squeezes on their arms and hands if they have trouble keeping their hands to themselves

There are plenty more ideas, but this is a start.  If you have further questions regarding a child and you are not sure which subtype they fit into or they could be demonstrating difficulties in several different subtypes, please visit www.spdfoundation.net,www.sensoryparenting.com, www.starcenter.us and www.otdvds.com  for more information.

Featured PediaStaff Columnist:  Britt Collins, MS OTR/L

Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Britt Collins, graduated from Colorado State University and since graduating  has worked tirelessly on OT and Sensory Integration awareness, research and application.  Britt has worked in a variety of settings including pediatric hospital inpatient, ICU, rehabilitation, outpatient clinics, homes, school s and skilled nursing facilities.  With her award-winning OT DVD series and newly released book, “Sensory Parenting,” she’s among the cutting-edge leaders in the field.  Her book is receiving enthusiastic reviews from Dr. Lucy Jane Miller and Lindsey Biel, M.A., OTR/L, and she’s presented nationwide alongside experts Temple Grandin, Paula Aquilla, Diane Bahr and Carol Kranowitz.

Britt is the co-creator of the OT DVD series including; OT for Children with Autism, Special Needs and Typical; OT in the Home; OT in the School and Yoga for Children with Special Needs.  These were created to be a visual learning tool for parents, caregivers and professionals to help implement OT and sensory integration into the home, school and community.  They are a tool that is easily used as a home program from your current OT or therapist.

Britt’s professional specialties include: applying creative approaches to sensory processing disorders, incorporating innovative sensory treatments in the home, school and clinical setting, and providing practical solutions to managing different types of behavior.  Britt is also has vast knowledge and experience working with children with special needs, their families, and their intervention teams in order to achieve optimal results for the child.

Currently, Britt is practicing at the STAR Center in Greenwood Village Colorado as she nurtures her non-profit organization, Special Needs United, which provides OT products and equipment to lower income communities.  For more information on Britt, please visitwww.SensoryParenting.com, www.otdvds.com, and www.SpecialNeedsUnited.org.