Children Archives - Page 34 of 39

Hidden Hearing Loss – A Growing Concern for Young Adults

November 30, 2016 by admin

When most of us think of hearing loss, we picture our grandparents struggling to understand even the clearest verbal prompts. Yet, hearing loss can and does strike at any age with growing numbers of younger adults suffering from its effects. If you’re struggling to make sense of conversations in noisy environments or finding yourself turning up the TV volume, you might be suffering from hidden hearing loss.

What is Hidden Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss has historically been detected through a test called an audiogram, which detects damage to the hair cells inside of our ears. When these cells are damaged, your ability to detect sounds at certain frequencies becomes impaired.

However, it’s now been determined that hearing loss beings before those hair cells are damaged, making it “hidden.” The damage occurs to the fibers in the auditory nerve that connect to those hair cells, making it possible to hear in noisy environments. So, even if you pass an auditory test with flying colors, there may be some hidden hearing loss.

Hidden Hearing Loss in Young Adults

Hearing loss among young adults is becoming increasingly more common. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported that as many as 1.1 billion young people worldwide are at risk of hearing loss from such things as personal audio devices, night clubs, and exposure to other loud environments. The newest concern for young adults relates to the issue of hidden hearing loss.

In a recent study of young adults published in PLOS-ONE, all in the study passed an auditory exam with no issues. Yet, the group that was consistently exposed to loud sounds (music students) had trouble hearing sounds tested at higher frequencies. This group that was identified with hidden hearing loss and had particular difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments.

Hearables Technology and Hidden Hearing Loss

The good news is that not all hidden hearing loss is permanent or irreversible. Some research has found that hidden hearing loss, if identified quickly can be treated with a growth factor called neurotrophin 3, which will repair some of the damage to auditory nerve fibers. Hidden hearing loss can also be both prevented and treated through the use of revolutionary new hearables technology.

Hearables are much more than just wireless earbuds. This smart listening technology can interface with electronic devices via Bluetooth, and it provides several benefits in our increasingly over-stimulated world. The best of these products both offers sound protection and gives users the ability to control their environment.

For example, NuHeara’s IQbuds are a hearable device that accomplishes exactly this. The company’s experts hail from an industrial sound protection background instead of simply tech or entertainment. The IQbuds can amplify speech above background noise, which is a feature of some high-end hearing aid devices. IQbuds lack the stigma, however, of hearing aids and appeal to a segment of the market, younger adults, who are interested in wearables and who may also be suffering from the effects of hidden hearing loss.

Hidden hearing loss is a growing difficulty among younger adults and, unfortunately, is only the precursor to more permanent hearing issues. Revolutionary hearables, are not only changing the way we use technology but are potentially addressing an important health concern.

New Ideas For The Coming Christmas Gift Exchanging

November 19, 2016 by admin

Exchanging presents at Christmas is one of the most exciting parts of the entire holiday. Choosing the right gift will allow friends and relatives to know how special they really are. Instead of choosing the same type of gifts year after year, why not think outside the box? There are dozens of exciting present ideas which will make next Christmas the most memorable one yet.

Read this helpful guide in order to learn more.

Buy A Christmas Hamper

A Christmas hamper is a very dynamic gift because there will be something for the whole family to enjoy. Choose a company which offers a wide range of different treats to include in the hampers for Christmas. Select some delicious food such as pies, chutneys and dried fruits that everyone will be able to eat. Include some tasty sweets and chocolate for the children to enjoy as a treat after their main meal of turkey or goose.

In addition, stock the Christmas hamper with some delicious “grown up” drinks for Mum and Dad to enjoy when they have a quiet moment together.

A hamper will let relatives enjoy delicious food and drink for weeks to come. The hamper basket can then be put to other uses when all the food and drink has been finished. Choose Christmas gift baskets provided by The Basket People.

Buy Male Grooming Kits

In the 21^st century, it is becoming more and more popular for men to take care of their appearance. In order to help the men in the family look as good as possible, why not buy several grooming kits? These kits can be customised in order to suit the tastes of different people. Include hair gel, deodorant, beard trimmers and clippers so that people will be able to look completely fresh at all times.

Create Customised Picture Frames

Pictures capture special moments throughout everyone’s lives. That is why it will make someone’s Christmas if they receive customised picture frames which capture a montage of memorable moments. Have a message written on the picture frame, or on the back.

Buy Different Perfumes And Aftershave

Everyone wants to smell good, and what better way to do this than to wear some luxury perfume or aftershave? People who are buying should compare several different fragrances before making a final decision on what to buy.

Buy Playsets For Young Children

Children love to play with electronic gadgets, but this can cause them to strain their eyesight and become listless. Instead of buying electronic equipment, why not buy some exciting playsets instead? This could be anything from a play cooker to a doctors-and-nurses set. Children will be able to have some active fun whilst learning at the same time.

Buy Cruise Tickets For Elderly Relatives

A relaxing cruise in the Caribbean will be the perfect present for elderly relatives. This trip will allow them to unwind completely whilst checking in at exciting port cities along the way.

Use this guide to buying exciting presents for Christmas that the whole family will treasure.

Why are Children so Obsessed with Trucks?

November 19, 2016 by admin

“Mum, there’s a truck!” are the cries that many parents are all too familiar with and there’s just something about trucks that make them completely fascinating to children. From their tipping abilities to the deep roaring sound they make when they go past – kids can be entertained for hours watching trucks. And it’s not only boys who love to play with trucks, daughters love them too and what’s even better than toy trucks? Real trucks of course!

Tilt Tray Trucks

Hiring trucks is fairly easy and there are many reasons why a truck may need to be rented, from moving house to transporting heavy machinery. Affordable tilt tray hire can be organised online through a reputable company and below are some of the features that every rented tilt tray truck should come with:

Fitted with ROPs
Long range fuel tanks
Safety equipment
Hand rails
A reversing camera
Emergency stop features
Container locks

Information like this can always be found on a company website when organising the rental vehicle.

Top Tip: It is important to ensure that children who are around big trucks are monitored at all times, as the excitement of seeing a truck in person can lead to accidents.

Other Trucks

Kids don’t care what type of truck it is; as long as it makes lots of noise, picks things up and is big they will love it. Some parents may need to rent a service truck and these are often used for professional purposes to transport different products and materials. Renting a truck is a great way to get things from A to B without having to find the spare cash to invest in one and it can be a cost effective way to make use of a truck as and when one is needed.

Below is a list of some of the most popular trucks that are available to hire through reputable rental companies:

Backhoes
Tippers
Vacuums
Prime Movers
IT Loaders
Skid Steer
Water Carts

They all serve a slightly different purpose and it is a good idea to contact the provider before booking anything to get some professional advice about which type of truck will best suit different needs.

Plant hire in Perth from Total Plant Hire is an example of the type of reputable and affordable rental company that should be contacted to organise a rental truck and the best rental companies will always have a website people can look at before making a booking.

It’s true, children love to play with trucks but so do adults and they can be extremely useful when it comes to transporting anything from heavy equipment to household belongings to a different location. Buying a truck isn’t always necessary and it is usually far better value to simply rent one as and when it’s needed and this is also a great way to ensure that the right truck is used for different purposes.

Age-Appropriate Youth Training For Your Kids’ Well Being

November 15, 2016 by admin

Parents should encourage their kids to perform different youth training activities. According to a systematic review, it is recommended that youths have an average of no less than 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each day. More vigorous intensity activities like muscle and bone strengthening activities should be included 3 or more times per week. They also added that majority of the physical activity should be aerobic activities.

Age-Appropriate Activities

Studies showed multiple evidences that the youth should perform 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. Youth training activities must be developmentally appropriate, enjoyable and varied. The best way for your kids to engage in exercise is to incorporate it in their daily activities and make it a fun opportunity rather than a chore to finish. Different activities work for different age groups so it is important to determine which activities are appropriate for your kid’s age and capabilities.

School-age

Commitment and interest go with ability. Traditional sports and playing outdoors are both great opportunities for exercise. What’s most important in school-age youth is the kind of activity they truly enjoy. When kids enjoy what they do, they are more likely to excel at it and get motivated to do more of it. Communities and schools often have aerobic activities like soccer and T-ball which are great opportunities for your kid to get some aerobic exercise while meeting new friends and having fun.

Teenagers

School sports and after-school activities like skating or yoga are great exercise for teens. Because of the numerous choices teens have it is important to ensure that their chosen physical activity are planned to accommodate commitments and responsibilities at home, in school and in the community.

Benefits of Youth Training

Exercise is not only important to adults but also in the youth. Growing numbers of research point to great benefits of youth training on kids’ well-being. Kids who regularly exercise are known to have stronger bones and muscles, have leaner bodies with less fat, have improved mood, good academic performance, better outlook on life, improved sleep and wake cycles, and have lower risk of developing diseases. Below are the benefits of youth training:

Academic performance improves with appropriate youth training. Various studies from 2009, 2011 and 2015 found that a 20 minute walk improved scores in arithmetic, reading and spelling. A 2015 study showed that 4 sessions a week of high intensity PE for 4 months led to better cognitive ability score and higher grades at school

Endurance develops when kids get aerobic exercise. Basketball, bicycling, skating, soccer, swimming, and running are great examples of aerobic activity. Their hearts beat faster and their breaths are deeper during aerobic activity and when done regularly for a long time, it strengthens the heart and improves circulation.

Flexibility improves with exercises like stretching by allowing joints and muscles to move easily with their full range of motion. Practicing a split or doing a cartwheel are great activities that can improve their flexibility. Teaching them proper stretching exercises and the correct form also help.

Strength can be enhanced with properly supervised weight training. When done properly, it is a safe and helpful preparatory activity for sports. Climbing, wrestling and head stands work great for muscle toning and enjoyable as well. The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology supports resistance training in the youth as a relatively safe exercise to improve overall health when done with proper training methods. A resistance training program that is within a youth’s capacity with gradual progression under supervision can lead to health and functional benefits like endurance, flexibility, strength, balance, coordination and power.

Don’t Forget Your Lunch Money: Top Tips and Tech to Help Your Kids Be More Self-Reliant

November 13, 2016 by admin

It can be hard work getting your kids up and ready for the day each morning, making sure they do all their chores, clean their teeth, pack their school bags, and everything else. Some kids may be good at it, but for most parents it is a daily challenge.

Here are some tips to help make your mornings easier, as well as some useful apps that your kids can use to become more self-reliant.

Give Them Responsibilities

Create a schedule of chores for your children. Set simple tasks for them to do, like cleaning their teeth and packing their bags. Then provide them with a visual way to see what they have accomplished, like a chart for them to check off.

Reward Them for Hard Work

When your kids have chores to do, make sure these are prioritized, and then reward them for their hard work. For example, you could let them watch TV for half an hour once they have done them all, and this way they’ll learn that hard work is rewarded.

Get Some Help from Useful Apps

These days, there are lots of apps available that can help your kids to become more self-reliant. If your kids have smartphones, download some useful apps for them and encourage them to use them.

One to try out is Remember the Milk. This is one of the most popular reminder apps, and it is ideal for older children. It’s a great way to organize tasks and mark them off, and you can help them to fill out their tasks to tick off.

A weather app can be useful as well. If they are going out to school or play and deciding what to wear, they will need to know what the weather will be like. Download this weather app by Apalon Apps for a free and accurate weather forecast, and encourage them to check the weather themselves rather than asking you.

For older kids, Evernote is the perfect organization app. Create a shared folder and use it to update tasks. Create a checklist in a note for each of your children, and then you can see when they mark off their tasks.

Or you could use the Google Drive app. Create a shared spreadsheet in Sheets, and write down tasks for all of your kids. You can all access the spreadsheet at the same time, and they can then mark them off or add their own notes.

Time Timer is a good timer app that you may want to try out. Time management is a useful skill for kids to learn, and this app can help them develop their skills.

Help Your Kids to Become More Self-Reliant

These are some useful tips and apps to help your kids become more self-reliant. Helping your kids to help themselves can be a long process, but it can also be an enjoyable and rewarding one. So follow these tips, and try out some of the above apps to improve your kids’ morning routine.

This guest post was written by Kyle Thomas, a dad of two sons ages 5 and 7. He writes about parenting from a Father’s perspective, and shares some tips and stories in his articles.