The Magic Mommy Kiss, and the Baby Silk Babysafe Sunscreen Towelettes, Seen Round the World

We’re not going to lie and say that it’s not unbelievably exciting (a dream, really) to wake up to photos of an A-list celebrity toting our products along with her most precious cargo (who, P.S., is definitely one of the most adorable tots in town). When we saw the pics of Jennifer Garner planting a big ‘ol magic mommy kiss on her darling Violet, while holding our Babysafe Sunscreen Towelettes, our “awwwwwws” turned to “WOOHOO!”s.

As founders of a company, in a celebrity-obsessed society, we couldn’t dream of a better caught-on-film moment. But as pediatricians, what REALLY excited us was seeing a mom diligent about sun safety…in almost-October!

“What a FABULOUS opportunity” we exclaimed, “to remind everyone that the sun’s harmful UV rays don’t take a vacation just because you came back from yours!”

So, here are a few tips and reminders to help us keep our kids protected, 365 days a year.

• Just because it’s cool outside doesn’t mean UV rays aren’t present and harmful. The temperature may have dropped by a few degrees, but UV rays are still present! Sunscreen is just as much of a post-labor day must-have as it is in the Spring and Summer
• Pack a lunch, pack a sunscreen single. Typically, daycares and schools don’t provide sunscreen for their students, yet kids spend considerable time outdoors (even in the winter). Recess, playtime, lunchtime, or school sports are all opportunities for UV exposure and an important time for sunscreen application.
• Don’t forget about afterschool sports. Whether it’s big brother or sister on the field, or baby cheering them on from the stands, even that hour or two a couple times a week adds up to a significant amount of time exposed to UV rays. If you’ve applied sunscreen to your child before school, don’t forget to reapply prior to heading out to practice.
• Baby it's cold outside! UV rays can be reflected off snow and other surfaces, so don’t forget to protect exposed areas with a broad spectrum sunscreen during winter sports or while perfecting your snow angel skills.

Dr JJ's Diary of a Doc: Allowing yourself a much needed 'Mom's Time Out'

One of the great perks I enjoy, since I travel a lot as president of MD Moms, is taking advantage of the opportunity to meet great moms and Baby Silk customers in any city I wake up in. A few months ago I had the privilege (for the second year in a row) of being the “in house” pediatrician for Mommy and Baby week at the Greenhouse Spa in Dallas.

Certainly, a week at a high end spa is usually only the subject of dreams for most of us (including me), so seizing an opportunity like this (4 days of sublime treatments in the company of several moms and adorable babies) was a no-brainer…..

I met a great group of moms from all backgrounds and walks of life as well as a few speakers who brought their insights and expertise to this event. Two moms had 4 kids under kindergarten age (twins made the math “easy” for both of them – one was a stay at home mom, and the other was a fulltime attorney in Washington DC), one mom had a very young one month old, one was having a last hurrah before returning to her position as an aerospace engineer at NASA, another a single mom/prosecuting attorney who had lost her home in Hurricane Katrina, a store owner, a foundation head and 2 mompreneurs – one who manufactures organic baby food and the other, socially responsible dog products.

These are lucky women – auspiciously not because they could afford the week at the Greenhouse (although I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge that), but because they have taken the time, with the support of their families, to recognize that relaxation, revitalization, and recreation were important enough to stop real life for a few days, and treat themselves to some needed rest, some healthy food, a few naps made possible by the help of in-house helpers, and an opportunity to make some new friends.

How often do we, as mothers in particular, sacrifice things like a good haircut, a meal or coffee out with a friend, or worse yet, a needed doctor’s appointment or yearly mammogram, because we are just “too busy?”

How often do we say “no thank you” when a friend, relative or colleague offers to take our kids out, drive them to school or daycare, or just give us a break?

While martyrdom was popular in the dark ages, there should be no role for it in our lives. Allow yourselves to take the time to assign your partner to your child for an hour, light some candles, and soak in a bath. Say yes to your neighbor, let her watch your child, and go get your hair cut or nails polished.

Grab your young one, and curl up together for a nap, and defer a few errands or chores to just suspend yourself in rest for a few minutes. Despite the fact that most of us don’t have a big budget for a spa, we can easily create some “aaah” time as a priority. You will find, as I have this week, that the world does not stop and implode when you are gone for a few minutes or hours. These breaks are difficult to take, but allow us to refresh our bodies, minds, and spirits so that we become better mothers, better partners, and better people.

Dr. JJ's Diary of a Doc: 8/10/08

It seems as though age is catching up with me – between my daily work in my pediatric practice, getting my son ready for his departure to the University of Michigan next week (Go Blue!), new construction in my office, and of course, serving as President of MD Moms, one would expect a grey-tinged person such as myself to stifle a few yawns………Believe it or not, I get enough sleep to prevent that from happening……………..UNTIL THIS WEEK!

Every four years my husband and family surrender and hand me over to my television set to live, eat and breathe the Olympic spirit. My issue this year is that the major network televising this marvelous event is broadcasting to the West Coast on tape delay – and you lucky folks on the East Coast get to view the games live! Why does that matter to me? Well, my TIVO broke long ago, I don’t have the necessary cable to watch a live feed, and I struggle to stay awake past my midnite bedtime to see history unfold once again.

After lifting my jaw off the floor (and my box of tear stained tissues) after the mind-bending opening ceremonies, I trudged, half asleep to bed with the knowledge that I would miss the torch being lit. I prided myself on my ability to stay awake, but swore under my breath when my neck hurt this morning from the odd yoga position I found myself in as I drifted off to sleep on my sofa.

I resolved to stay awake last night to see the pride of the University of Michigan, Michael Phelps, win his first gold and look to the stands for his mom, his inspiration. There went another box of tissue! However, with the intricacy of the opening ceremonies setting a high benchmark, do you think that the National Anthem could have been played correctly, and not awkwardly cut off at the end? Perhaps you all respond like I do at these medal ceremonies, silently mouthing the words and welling up in tears feeling the magnitude of the moment………and then our collective joy is cut short as the last stanza just drops off! Come on!

More importantly, I wanted to witness a more significant piece of history unfold – the debut of Dara Torres . She is a symbol of courage, talent, determination (OMG that 12 pack)! She is also a friend of the MD Moms, and her young Tessa wears our Baby Silk Babysafe Sunscreen Towelettes daily, while mom works out in Coral Gables. It angers me that the press speculates that her grueling schedule of workouts, and the transformation of her “middle aged” body is the result of doping. She has gone so far as to have her blood stored and frozen for any future analyses, to prove to the world, that greatness can come just with hard work and talent. She has something to prove, and serves as an inspiration to many individuals who feel that age is an impediment to accomplishment – especially in the realm of physical competition.

I never got to see Dara take the podium to win her Silver Medal last night…sleep overtook me and this morning I hope to find a rerun somewhere to recreate that moment….I anticipate that I will be yawning daily at work, quaffing more than my usual 2 coffees daily, and aiming home as soon as patients are out the door, to catch these moments of triumph and persistence, joy and disappointment, pride and pain, as these young (and middle aged) ambassadors of the world make us feel, for just a few days, that the worlds’ people could get along under one roof…..

OK, so enough rambling……….grab a pen, write to NBC, appeal to them to give me some live feed on the West Coast so I can sleep! NOT!

Enjoy the Olympics! ...and GO DARA!

JJ Levenstein, MD, FAAP

President, MD Moms – makers of Baby Silk

Health & Safety Tip: Have Fun in the Sun...Safely!

☼Summer time is for relaxing and having fun in the great outdoors. It’s also time to think about sun safety. The most common type of skin cancer in the US is caused by unprotected sun exposure (specifically UVA and UVB ultraviolet rays) in childhood and adolescence.

☼ Between 60% to 80% of sun exposure happens before we turn 18 years of age. That’s because children spend more time outdoors than most adults, especially in the summer.

☼ The majority of lifetime sun damage occurs before the age of 18, and did you know that just two or three blistering sunburns during childhood can DOUBLE the risk of skin cancer later in life? More than 90% of all skin cancers are caused by the sun, and yet less than 33% of adults, adolescents, and children routinely use sun protection.

☼UVA (the “AGING rays”) cause wrinkling, spotting and skin cancer by penetrating deep into skin. UVB (the “BURNING rays”) sizzle the top layer of skin and contribute to skin cancer risk.

Here are some practical tips to help reduce these risks:

• Avoid direct sun exposure during the peak hours of the day, usually between 10AM to 4PM. Harmful UV radiation is maximal during this interval. Stay in the shade if possible. Reapply sunscreen at 2-4 hour intervals if your child is dry, at 1-2 hour intervals if swimming or wet.

• Dress your child in UV infused clothing (Cabana Life and Wallaroo Hat Company are examples) or use an SPF rinse on tightly woven cotton clothing to raise the SPF value from 5 (regular cotton t-shirt) to spf 30 (we like SunGuard Laundry Aid).

• Your child should wear sunglasses that offer 99-100% blockage from ultraviolet rays (check for ANSI rated UVA & UVB protection). Also, remember a hat with a wide brim that will shade the face and cover the ears.

• Be more diligent about consistent sunscreen use around the water, sand and snow as they all reflect the sun’s rays, increasing the risk of sunburn. (Our Baby Silk Babysafe Sunscreen Towelette Singles are a convenient way to take sun protection on the go...no matter the locale or temperature!)

• The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Dermatology recommend that, if avoidance of sun exposure is not possible, babies - no matter how young - should be protected with a sunscreen that has at least a SPF15 and offers both UVA and UVB protection (broad spectrum.) In addition, due to the sensitivity of young children’s skin, the ideal sunscreen should be one containing Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide (pure physical block ingredients). These two ingredients offer the safest protection with the least potential for skin irritation. Unlike a chemical block, which needs minimum 20 minutes absorption time to be fully effective, a physical block will work immediately upon application, as the sun’s rays are reflected from the barrier on top of the skin.

• Use enough sunscreen for effective protection. One ounce (the size of a shot glass) is recommended per application. If a chemical sunscreen is used, apply it to your child’s face and body, wait 20 minutes and re-apply (so that any missed spots are covered, and areas that wear against clothing or sweat get double coverage). Reapply at 1-2 hour intervals if swimming or wet, and at 2-4 hour intervals all through the day. (Our Baby Silk Babysafe Sunscreen Towelettes have a premeasured dose of sunscreen to adequately cover the average 2-year old from head-to-toe.)

• Always patch test any new topical product on a small area of skin on the extremities or trunk. Wash off or discontinue use if redness, itching or irritation occurs. Discard sunscreen that has passed its expiration date. A good rule of thumb is that, if it is more than 2 seasons old, it has lost its potency.

"Safe sun" doesn't have to be a contradiction in terms. Know your sun facts, be prepared ( a little Girl Scout motto that has stuck with us!), and HAVE FUN! Happy Summer!

As seen on Better.tv: Head Lice

Head lice - yuck! Amazing how 2 little words can make you so...itchy! (Ever wonder where the term "lousy" came from? Now you know!)
There are many misconceptions about head lice that are simply not true. Head lice know no bounds (neither cultural nor socioeconomic) and are not a reflection of poor hygiene. Common to very popular belief, they do not jump from one head to another (don't look for any lice going for the pole vaulting gold in Beijing this Summer), and though they are incredibly disruptive and annoying, they are not dangerous. Here are a few tips on how to prevent, spot and treat head lice, and even some recommendations for a support team!

Remember...this advice does not constitute care...and the final call is with your pediatrician.

PREVENTION: lice can infest through DIRECT contact – so sharing hats, hair ornaments, caps, scarves and other adornments with others should be prevented. Lice can live on inanimate objects for a few hours, so even surfaces like movie theater seats/airline seats/car seats can be vehicles for spread – wearing a CAP to the movies (hair tucked under) might be a good strategy.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE: active lice are obvious – they are tiny, crawl, and hang out at the hairline under the nape of the neck, behind the ears, and hide in the depths of hair. Their eggs (called NITS) adhere pretty firmly to the hair shaft about 1/4" to 1/2" from the scalp. Nits are often mistaken for dandruff and vice versa. If you have a child with an ITCHY scalp AND see nits or live lice, your kid’s condition is obvious. Lice can also infest eyebrows and beards – anywhere there is a hairy hiding place.

TREATMENT: OTC: Many of the over the counter treatments are ineffective – partially due to some resistance that has developed with the lice themselves, but also because the MOST IMPORTANT STEP OF TREATMENT, which is to PICK OFF ALL THE NITS is hard to do. Lice combs may help, but the most tedious, yet effective way to cure an outbreak is to go through EVERY strand of hair and physically pick out the nits with your fingers. With boys, piece of cake – haircut, buzz ‘em, most don’t mind. With a child with luxurious locks, pin up 1 inch sections of all the hair, round up some magnifying dimestore glasses, a bright light, and a big bucket of patience and go through section by section.

Prescription treatments: there are 2 that we use pretty routinely – Elimite (permethrin – oil of chrysanthemum) and Ovide.

With Elimite, we saturate the dry hair/scalp and leave on for 8-12 hours, shampoo out, NIT PICK – and repeat in a week. Ovide (malathion, an insecticide) always works, but we restrict it’s use to older children.

ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES: From our good friends at DrGreene.com...

Most alternative treatments are untested, but early reports are promising. One method with widespread stories of success is the Vaseline (or mayonnaise) treatment. Cover the infested head liberally in Vaseline. Place a shower cap over the entire head for the night (or an eight-hour period). Then shampoo the Vaseline out of the hair. This treatment is reported to "smother" the lice. The downside of this method is that the Vaseline does not shampoo out of the hair easily -- in fact, it usually takes a week or so to get it all out. The upside is that it is not toxic, and from all reports, it seems to work. Washing the hair with dishwashing liquid, which has a degreasing agent in it, may help. I've smothered my own hair in mayonnaise (loved the smell), and it came out easily with Dove Ultra dishwashing liquid.
The Packard Children's Health Services Pediatric Hotline at Stanford is hailing another popular treatment. It uses regular shampoo and three ingredients that can be found at most health-food stores:
Shampoo (use an inexpensive brand such as Prell -- these seem to mix more easily with the oils).
3 tbsp olive oil.
1 tsp tea tree oil.
1 tsp rosemary or eucalyptus oil.
Add the oils to a small amount of shampoo and mix well. Work into hair and leave on for half an hour with a tight-fitting shower cap. This mixture has a strong smell. The fumes may burn the eyes, so don't lean forward. Wash hair two or three times to get the oil out. Repeat the procedure if necessary.
I'm hearing positive reports about this nontoxic treatment, though to my knowledge, no medical studies have been conducted to establish the efficacy or possible side effects of this treatment.
One of our readers suggested using a hot blow-dryer for 15 minutes, morning and evening, in conjunction with thorough nit combing. The heat helps to kill the nits and adult lice, but the combing is essential to the process. This type of treatment should not be combined with the over-the-counter treatment.

ENVIRONMENT: so anything that has touched infested scalps needs to be dealt with – sheets, hats need to be washed in hot water/dried on hot. If seat cushions/pillows/toys have been in contact with the lice, they can just be bagged up in large trash bags for 2 days (lice can’t live that long without a human host) and then tossed in the dryer for a few minutes to remove the nits (or vacuumed). All hair brushes/combs need to be soaked in boiling water.

WHO CAN HELP: There are several services out there that will NIT PICK for you – some come to your home, some are housed in salons. Check for a service in your area, but a few we like are:

Hair Fairies : http://hairfairies.com/

Lousy Nit Pickers : http://www.louseynitpickers.com/

The Hair Whisperers : http://www.liceremovalla.com/

Some will accept a prescription from your doctor, and some insurers will actually pay for delousing!

Good luck!

The Doctors are IN!

Well, here we are, finally joining the blogosphere! If we haven't met, allow us to introduce ourselves...
We're the MD Moms - Dr. Diane Truong and Dr. JJ Levenstein. We are nationally recognized, board-certified pediatricians and moms. We were inspired by the needs of our patients and our own children to create Baby Silk, the first skincare line for babies developed by pediatrician-moms.
We are so proud to share our experience and expertise...both by providing babies and their parents with the most effective, gentle, modern and thoughtfully developed products on the market and also by giving real-life advice and support. (By the way, we try to speak English, not Doctor...)

In The Pulse, we'll be posting our monthly health and safety tips you may have seen on our site (and a lot that you haven't), answering your questions, addressing any hot topics, and welcoming a few of our friends and favorite experts as guest bloggers. From the country's most renowned sleep experts to The Baby Planners to some of the world's leading tastemakers and trendspotters....We know you have multi-faceted lives and we look forward to bringing you tips and topics that address each part of them!

Welcome...we can't wait to chat with you again soon!