LATEST ARTICLES

Silica Dust Within the Household: The Importance of Proper Cleaning

-
0
Silica Dust Within the Household: The Importance of Proper Cleaning

In every household, dust is an inevitable companion. It accumulates on surfaces, hides in corners, and even floats in the air. While most people associate dust with minor inconveniences like dirty furniture or sneezing fits, there’s a hidden danger lurking within the fine particles of dust – silica. Silica dust, when inhaled, can pose significant health hazards, especially to children who may also suffer from dust allergies and other respiratory issues.

Silica Dust Hazards

Silica, a naturally occurring mineral, is present in many common household materials. It can be found in sand, concrete, stone, tiles, and even kitchen countertops. When these materials are disturbed, such as during renovation, demolition, or even simple household chores like drilling, sawing, or cutting, they release tiny silica dust particles into the air. The danger lies in the inhalation of these minuscule particles, as they can lead to serious health issues.

One of the primary health concerns associated with silica dust is silicosis. Silicosis is a lung disease caused by prolonged exposure to silica dust. In the early stages, it may manifest as a persistent cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. Over time, it can progress to more severe symptoms, including lung scarring and even respiratory failure. Children are not immune to these risks, especially if they are exposed to silica dust at an early age.

Dust Allergies in Children

Dust allergies are common in children and adults alike. They are primarily triggered by the presence of allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, and pollen. When inhaled or exposed to these allergens, sensitive individuals may experience a range of symptoms, including sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, itchy or watery eyes, and even skin rashes. In children, the symptoms can be particularly troublesome, interfering with sleep, school performance, and overall well-being. 

Silica dust, while not an allergen in the traditional sense, can exacerbate dust allergies in children. This is because silica dust irritates the respiratory system and makes it more susceptible to other allergens. Children with preexisting dust allergies may experience intensified symptoms when exposed to both dust allergens and silica dust. It’s essential for parents to be aware of this risk and take appropriate measures to protect their children’s health.

Silica Presence in Common-Use Items

Silica compounds are found throughout the environment in rocks, sand, clay, soil, air, and water. Silica is used in many commercial products, such as bricks, glass and ceramics, plaster, granite, concrete, cleansers, skin care products, and talcum powder. Some forms of amorphous silica are used as food additives, food wrappings, toothpaste, and cosmetics. Silicosis lawsuits hold responsible parties accountable for their negligence. This includes employers who failed to implement safety measures, product manufacturers who failed to warn about silica dust hazards and other parties involved in the chain of distribution.

Importance of Proper Cleaning

Proper cleaning is the first line of defense against silica dust hazards and dust allergies in children. Here are some key strategies for maintaining a clean and safe household: 

Dust regularly: Regular dusting with a damp cloth or microfiber duster can help reduce the accumulation of dust and allergens in your home. Focus on often-neglected areas such as ceiling fan blades, window sills, and baseboards. 

Vacuum with a HEPA filter: Invest in a vacuum cleaner equipped with a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters can capture tiny dust particles, ensuring they don’t recirculate into the air. 

Minimize clutter: Reducing clutter in your home not only makes it easier to clean but also eliminates hiding spots for dust and allergens. 

Use air purifiers: Air purifiers with HEPA filters can help remove allergens and dust particles from the air, providing cleaner indoor air quality for your family. 

Proper ventilation: Ensure your home is well-ventilated to minimize the concentration of airborne dust and allergens. Use exhaust fans, and open windows, and consider using an air exchanger to bring in fresh outdoor air. 

Safe renovation practices: If you’re planning a home renovation project that involves materials containing silica, take the necessary precautions. Use wet methods to control dust, wear appropriate personal protective equipment, and provide proper ventilation.

Silica dust hazards in the household and dust allergies in children are issues that should not be taken lightly. Proper cleaning practices play a crucial role in mitigating these risks and creating a safe, healthy environment for your family. By staying informed and taking preventative measures, parents can reduce the likelihood of exposure to silica dust and the exacerbation of dust allergies in their children. In the end, a clean and safe home is a key component of a happy and healthy family life.

– Article and Resources Contribution by Consumer Notice

Work with me personally! If you are looking to become healthier and gain more balance, peace, joy, and happiness in your relationships, family life, work life, all while effectively and efficiently handling your current day-to-day state of affairs, click here for more information on my personal coaching sessions. You can e-mail me at: info@doughaddad.com

To you and your family living a more healthy, productive, and fulfilling life!

Sources:

https://www.consumernotice.org/environmental/silica-dust/

https://www.consumernotice.org/environmental/silica-dust/silicosis/

https://www.consumernotice.org/legal/silicosis-lawsuits/

How a pet can benefit both parents and children

-
0
How a pet can benefit both parents and children

Human and animal friendships date back for thousands of years – and for good reason. Animals have a way of making us feel better, their unconditional love and quirky personalities are proven to help decrease anxiety and promote positive wellbeing in people of all ages.

For families, there is plenty of evidence to show just how impactful having a pet can be for our mental health. But their influence on us goes beyond this, boosting every aspect of our lives from our physical health to our social interactions. If you’re considering adding a pet to your household, read on to find out just how owning an animal can benefit both you and your children.

Provide structure and routine

Children can benefit from a routine as it helps them to know what to expect in their daily schedules and feel more in control. Having a pet such as a dog that requires daily exercise can help encourage a structure in the lives of both children and their parents, but even the responsibility of caring for other animals can give a satisfying sense of pride for all family members.

Depending on your child’s age, they can help with many aspects of caring for a pet. Smaller children can help feed and clean the pet’s bowls, whilst older children can enjoy walking or cleaning out the animal themselves. By teaching children about the importance of properly looking after an animal, they learn empathy, compassion and respect.

Improved well-being

If you’ve ever owned a pet before, you’ll be familiar with the almost magical way in which they can instantly lift our spirits and soothe our souls. For people of all ages, animals inspire good feelings, and studies show that stroking them reduces stress and elevates dopamine and serotonin levels, which make us feel relaxed and happy.

People who spend time with animals have lower blood pressure, and especially with dogs, the increased outdoor walks are massively beneficial for our wellbeing. Children largely benefit from spending time outdoors; being allowed to run, jump and use their imaginations freely alongside their furry best friend reduces anxiety and boosts creativity, and even adults benefit from the feel-good rush from getting out and about regularly.

Boost social skills

Another brilliant benefit to pets is their ability to boost social skills. Children can learn a lot about interacting with others from their pets, as well-socialized animals are accepting, confident and friendly to everyone they meet. This can help children feel more comfortable and confident in social situations, and encourage them to strike up new friendships by taking their pet’s lead.

Dog owners often chat to each other during walks, and whilst exercising yours at the park, you’re sure to find it easier to strike up conversations as people naturally smile and coo over your pet. Animals are great icebreakers, and for the whole family they can lead to new friendships and relationships with other animal loving folk.

Which pet is right for you?

Once you’ve decided to bring an animal into your family, it’s important to choose the right one for you. Different animals have varying needs, and even different breeds of the same species can bring various costs and needs. Be sure to research whichever type of pet you have your heart set on thoroughly before deciding to adopt or buy them. With such profound benefits to be found by having a pet to love and care for, the whole family is sure to benefit.

– Article and Resources Contribution by Kate Asher.

Kate is an animal lover who enjoys promoting the benefits of keeping a pet with people from all walks of life. From family pets to therapy animals, Kate shares her knowledge of the ways in which animals can improve our lives.

Work with me personally! If you are looking to become healthier and gain more balance, peace, joy, and happiness in your relationships, family life, work life, all while effectively and efficiently handling your current day-to-day state of affairs, click here for more information on my personal coaching sessions. You can e-mail me at: info@doughaddad.com

To you and your family living a more healthy, productive, and fulfilling life!

Sources:

https://www.comparethemarket.com/life-insurance/content/the-joy-of-pets/
https://www.hillspet.co.uk/dog-care/play-exercise/fun-games-kids-play-with-dogs
https://www.petsathome.com/pet-talk/choosing-a-pet-which-pet-is-right-for-your-lifestyle-
children

Four Potential Challenges That Young Parents May Face

-
0
Four Potential Challenges That Young Parents May Face

Having children at a younger age is not an altogether bad thing, but it can present some unique challenges. While you’ll have more time and energy to play with and enjoy your children, the reality of the impact of raising your little ones can take its toll on young parents.

Parenting is a wonderful, yet incredibly stressful job and it undoubtedly changes your relationship with your partner. With a fifth of new parents splitting up after welcoming their child into the world, you may also need to consider the lifelong consequences of single or
co-parenting for both you and your child. While there’s no rules around when it’s best to have children, as it’s a personal choice for
everyone, doing so at a young age means that you are likely to have spent less time with your partner pre-baby, less time building your career, and you’ll have less life experience.

In this article, we explore four potential challenges that young parents may face.

Putting Personal Goals on Hold

When you have a baby, your personal goals, wants and needs get pushed onto the back burner. Achieving your goals in your professional and personal life becomes much harder when you have to prioritize your little one, and arranging childcare if you want to do something alone isn’t always easy. Parenting with a partner is a game of compromise, where you should share the load evenly so that you both feel you don’t lose your personal identity.

As young parents, you’ll likely lean on your family members for support, but you need to be aware that your plans to travel the world, build a business, or even go out with your friends on a Saturday night may have to wait until your children have grown up.

Financial Struggles

The average cost of raising a child in the US is $233,610, and with the current cost of living crisis seeing our housing, electricity, food and fuel prices continue to rise well above the national minimum wage, this number is ever increasing. Young parents may not have had time to establish their careers and be in a financially stable position to raise their children, which puts pressure on their families and the government to support them.

Even if you continue to work once your baby has arrived, the cost of nursery can eat into your salary considerably and leave you little extra money left over to cover living costs. Niceties such as family holidays and days out are also very expensive, as holiday
companies put their prices up massively out of school term times.

Social Pressures

There can be a lot of social backlash when you have a child at a young age. Even if you feel ready, be prepared to face judgement and stigmas from society as a whole. Many young parents report losing friendships as their priorities shift away from those of their peers, as
instead of going out and partying you’ll be at home rocking your baby to sleep. If you are still a teenager, it’s also far more challenging to finish your education with a baby to raise.

Parents of all ages often feel a huge amount of pressure to be a ‘perfect parent’, but young parents can feel this much more intensely, and this can lead to serious mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.

Medical Risks

For teenage mothers, pregnancy and birth brings an increased risk of medical complications, including eclampsia, postpartum endometritis, low birth weight and preterm delivery. While complications can occur throughout pregnancy and birth at any age, these issues are well worth considering if you’re thinking about starting a family at a young age.

On the flip side, having a child in your late 20s to 30 increases your odds of conceiving and having less complications in your pregnancy and birth.

Accessing Support

There is plenty of support available for young parents, and you should never feel embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help when you need it. Raising children is a magical experience like no other, even if it does come with a never-ending stream of challenges. And despite the obstacles young parents face, many still go on to become extremely successful and raise happy families.

– Article and Resources Contribution by Lily Jones (successful business owner who had children in her early 20s)

Work with me personally! If you are looking to become healthier and gain more balance, peace, joy, and happiness in your relationships, family life, work life, all while effectively and efficiently handling your current day-to-day state of affairs, click here for more information on my personal coaching sessions. You can e-mail me at: info@doughaddad.com

To you and your family living a more healthy, productive, and fulfilling life!

Sources:

https://www.comparethemarket.com/life-insurance/content/a-guide-for-young-parents/
https://www.cgbabyclub.co.uk/love-dont-judge/younger-parents.html
https://www.lv.com/life-insurance/articles/cost-of-raising-a-child
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230628-why-couples-fight-after-having-a-baby

Asbestos in Your Household: Potential Hazards That You May Be Unaware Of

-
0
Asbestos in Your Household: Potential Hazards That You May Be Unaware Of

Asbestos is known for being widely used in homes and buildings constructions before the 1980s, but what’s commonly overlooked is that just until 2022, it was found in the worldwide talc-based version of Johnson & Johnson baby powder, and children’s makeup brands as popular as Jojo Siwa’s had tested positive for it.

In this article, parents will be guided to recognize the potential asbestos hazards in the home, and most importantly, how to best assess those risks so that their living space can be safe for everyone, especially children since mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos-related diseases take around 20 to 60 years to develop so the safety measures applied right now can represent a vast difference in our kids’ adult lives.

Asbestos in the Home

Do-it-yourself home projects have been gaining popularity because TikTok videos and Pinterest boards have left more than one inspired. At the end of the day, with just a few bucks, a weekend, and a tutorial on loop, you can save plenty of money, right? That’s what you would think. But the truth is that if you have a home built before the 1980s you may be exposing yourself and your family to asbestos, therefore, to mesothelioma cancer, with simple things such as drilling into drywall to hang a painting and removing vinyl floor tiles, or more sophisticated activities, such as removing popcorn texture ceilings or cutting insulation on pipes. Even projects as fun as classic car at-home renovations can represent a risk since older brakes can contain asbestos.

Children’s Makeup

As of 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that children’s makeup as popular as Claire’s JoJo Siwa Makeup Set and the Pink Glitter Palette with Eyeshadow & Lip Gloss, among others, tested positive for asbestos. But even after recalling these products, they have not officially announced any plans for discontinuing sales of all talc-based makeup products.

Baby Powder

As of 2022, Johnson & Johnson was still selling internationally its worldwide famous talc-based baby powder, even though it was removed from American shelves in 2019 due to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigation. It was found that it had been contaminated since the 1950s and that company executives had been aware of it ever since. The findings were so severe that the company has paid billions of dollars to plaintiffs. This goes to show that the only way we, as parents, can make sure we’re bringing the healthiest products to our households is to do our own research.

Asbestos in Toys

It’s important to keep an eye out for products imported from countries where asbestos regulations are not in place. Products such as crayons, chalk, and crime lab kits for kids have tested positive.

What can be done to best assess these risks and keep a safe house environment?

  • If your house was built in the 1980s or before, hire a professional to conduct an asbestos test.
  • If your home was built in the 1980s or before, do not attempt any DIY renovation projects, such as inspection, testing, repairs, or removals. Instead, hire a professional.
  • Do not handle any suspected or confirmed material that contains asbestos.
  • If a property or home demolition is needed, contact your local or state government regulatory agency.
  • Avoid brands associated with asbestos and talc contamination and only use talc-free products. You can find examples of such brands here.
  • Look for powders made from alternative ingredients, such as cornstarch, which is a natural and safe alternative to talc.
  • Beware of organic and “clean” brands. Many of them still use talc-based products that can lead to asbestos exposure.
  • Make your proper research on products that are imported from countries where asbestos regulations are not available, especially if those are talc-based products such as crayons and chalk.
  • Finally, if you have concerns about your child’s health, speak with your pediatrician. They can help you assess the risks and provide guidance on safe alternatives.

If you or someone you know may have been exposed to asbestos, it’s imperative that you contact your doctor. Cancer staging is a crucial part of the treatment so each moment counts. For more information about this, please click here.

– Article and Resources Contribution by The Mesothelioma Center

Work with me personally! If you are looking to become healthier and gain more balance, peace, joy, and happiness in your relationships, family life, work life, all while effectively and efficiently handling your current day-to-day state of affairs, click here for more information on my personal coaching sessions. You can e-mail me at: info@doughaddad.com

To you and your family living a more healthy, productive, and fulfilling life!

How to Best Prevent Screen Time from Becoming Problematic at Home

-
0
How to Best Prevent Screen Time from Becoming Problematic at Home

Most parents have been met with the struggle of trying to pry a phone or tablet from the clutches of their child. However, as much of an uphill battle that it may seem, reducing screen time in the home is important, as excessive use can cause both physical and mental health problems, including eye strain, sleep disturbances, and bodily aches and pains. To best reduce the risk of these unwanted effects in both yourself and your family, we’ve put together a guide to some of our top tips to stop screen time from becoming problematic at home.

Lead by example

It goes without saying that if you try to control your child’s screen time without also limiting your own, you’re going to be met with some resistance. This is because kids generally follow the example of adults – and most will want to be doing exactly what everybody else around them is doing at all times.

While young kids may copy their caregiver’s behavior in order to try to emulate them, older children and teenagers may take an alternative approach – perhaps arguing that if you’re allowed to spend time on your screen, they should be, too. In fact, putting some limits on your own screen use is likely to benefit everyone, by not only encouraging your kids to comply with the new way of doing things, but also freeing up some time in your schedule for quality family time.

Implement structure

To avoid any confusion (or a relapse into excessive screen use), you may want to consider creating some sort of structural plan for when everybody in the family is allowed to be on their screens, and when they’re not. This should work really well for families who already make use of some sort of daily structure, such as set dinner times and bedtimes. Families who do things a bit more intuitively may want to start off slow – perhaps scheduling just an hour or so each day for no screen time in order to see how everybody adapts. For a top tip, make sure to schedule your break from screens at the same time for
everybody. This way, kids won’t get bored when they’re the only ones not allowed on their phones – or jealous of siblings who are allowed to watch television when they aren’t.

Introduce other activities

If you’re going to ask your family members to take some time away from their screens, you may want to also think about what they’re going to do instead – and try to make those alternative options as appealing as possible. With a partner, this may look like agreeing between you to have an hour or so to talk at the end of each day. For children, you may want to think about whether or not your home environment is an enriching and entertaining place to be without the need for screens – and add some games or toys, if not. You may also want to consider introducing your kids to an activity that they haven’t tried before, like a craft project, or a sport. You might find that as they become invested in a new activity, the desire to spend time at their screens decreases.

Try not to be too restrictive

Unfortunately, if your approach to screen time is too restrictive too soon, it may become a whole lot more problematic. Children, in general, want what they can’t have – so removing technology from the home or cutting down on screen time too dramatically is likely to just make their phone or laptop that much more desirable.

To get the best results, try to make healthy screen use a collaborative effort, by talking with your kids, and prioritizing interactions with your family throughout the process. This way everybody will feel included, and can work together to stop screen time from becoming problematic at home.

– Article and Resources Contribution by Warren Cooley

Work with me personally! If you are looking to gain more balance, peace, joy, and happiness in your relationships, family life, work life, all while effectively and efficiently handling your current day-to-day state of affairs, click here for more information on my personal coaching sessions. You can e-mail me at: info@doughaddad.com

To you and your family living a more healthy, productive, and fulfilling life!

123...11Page 1 of 11