HEALTHY FAMILIES: PEDIATRICIANS ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS YOUR CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH FREE ASTHMA RESOURCES - TulsaKids Magazine

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HEALTHY FAMILIES: PEDIATRICIANS ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS YOUR CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH FREE ASTHMA RESOURCES - TulsaKids Magazine
February 2021   Oklahoma’s Award-Winning Magazine for Parents & Families   www.tulsakids.com

HEALTHY FAMILIES:
PEDIATRICIANS ANSWER
COMMON QUESTIONS
YOUR CHILD’S
MENTAL HEALTH
FREE ASTHMA RESOURCES
VALENTINE’S DAY TREATS
MLK ESSAY CONTEST WINNER
SPECIAL LISTING:
HEALTH & WELLNESS GUIDE
HEALTHY FAMILIES: PEDIATRICIANS ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS YOUR CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH FREE ASTHMA RESOURCES - TulsaKids Magazine
How are
                                                                  you feeling
                                                                  today?

             Check in with your co-workers, friends, family and neighbors.
             Ask them, “How are you feeling today?” Someone you know
             may be delaying important emergency care, chronic care or
             emotional care. Remind them to get the care they need.

             Remind them to reconnect with their doctor about ongoing care needs, and that
             delaying care could impact their health in a negative way. Remind them to ask about
             emotional health needs and health concerns that might be weighing on them.

             At Ascension St. John, appointments are available, with strict precautions in place
             for your safety in our care. Doctors are offering virtual visits. And when your friends
             and family need care more urgently, our emergency rooms and urgent care clinics are
             open and ready.

             Share this message. And get the care you need at GetStJohnCare.com

© Ascension 2021. All rights reserved.
HEALTHY FAMILIES: PEDIATRICIANS ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS YOUR CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH FREE ASTHMA RESOURCES - TulsaKids Magazine
EXPLORE
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                           For virtual campus tours and more information about
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                                  Or visit hollandhall.org/admission/open-house.

W W W.T U L S A K I D S . C O M                             FEBRUARY 2021    1
HEALTHY FAMILIES: PEDIATRICIANS ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS YOUR CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH FREE ASTHMA RESOURCES - TulsaKids Magazine
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2     FEBRUARY 2021                                                                  W W W .T U L S A K I D S . C O M
HEALTHY FAMILIES: PEDIATRICIANS ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS YOUR CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH FREE ASTHMA RESOURCES - TulsaKids Magazine
Less time grocery shopping means
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   Delivery subject to availability. Instacart is not a retailer or seller. Instacart and/or certain retailers, may not be available
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HEALTHY FAMILIES: PEDIATRICIANS ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS YOUR CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH FREE ASTHMA RESOURCES - TulsaKids Magazine
Did you know
     that for many people the first
     symptom of heart disease is a
           heart attack?

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                       ram Sc                               cardiac CT angiogram scan performed

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        Much more than a coronary calcium CT scan, this                 Anyone 40 years or older with symptoms concerning for heart
        painless imaging test shows exactly where your                  disease or risk factors such as:
        blockages are and how severe they are in just seconds.         •    Diabetes            •   Smoking history
        This means easy and early detection of heart disease.          •    High blood pressure •   Family history
        Learn more at oklahomaheart.com/betterscan                     •    High cholesterol        of heart disease

                                 Call 918-592-0999 by February 28
                                  to schedule your appointment.

4     FEBRUARY 2021                                           W W W .T U L S A K I D S . C O M

    918-592-0999                   1120 S. Utica Ave., Tulsa                                oklahomaheart.com/betterscan
HEALTHY FAMILIES: PEDIATRICIANS ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS YOUR CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH FREE ASTHMA RESOURCES - TulsaKids Magazine
tulsakids                                      February 2021                             SHORTS
                                                                                         9-10 NEWS & NOTES

what’s inside
                                                                                               FEATURES
                                                                                         20    Free Environmental Help for
                                                                                               Children with Asthma

Volume XXXIV, Number 2                                      www.tulsakids.com            21-22 Don’t Ignore Children’s and
                                                                                               Teens’ Emotional Health

                                                                                         23-24 Pediatricians Answer Common

HEALTHY FAMILIES: ASTHMA RESOURCES,
                                                                                               Questions About Children’s Health

                                                                                         IN EVERY ISSUE
                                                                                         12-13 Tulsakids.com

PEDIATRIC Q & A, MENTAL HEALTH
                                                                                               What’s Going On(line)?

                                                                                         14    STAGES: Babies & Toddlers
                                                                                               Losing a Furry Family Member:
                                                                                               Helping Kids Cope
                                                                                               By Kiley Roberson

                                                                                         15    STAGES: Tweens & Teens
                                                                                               New College App Helps Students
                                                                                               Navigate Admission Search
                                                                                               By Julie Wenger Watson

                                                                                         16    EDUCATION
                                                                                               Summit Christian Academy Students
                                                                                               Send Projects to Space
                                                                                               By Brandon Schmitz

                                                                                               A DAD’S VIEW
                                                                                               Safe Schools, Smart Schools
                                                                                               By Rep. John Waldron

B Y BETTY C ASE Y                                                            20-24       26-27 BOOKS
                                                                                               Maximizing Screen Time
                                                                                               By Heather Lozano, youth associate,
                                                                                               South Broken Arrow Library

                                                                                         28-29 GET COOKING
                                                                                               Chocolate Treats for Valentine’s Day
                                                                                               By Natalie Mikles

                                                                                         32-35 COMMUNITY CALENDAR
                                                                                               By Tara Rittler

                                                                                         36    EVENTS COMMEMORATING THE
                                                                                               TULSA RACE MASSACRE CENTENNIAL

        Summit Christian Academy
                                          28-29
                                                  Chocolate Treats for Valentine’s Day
16      Students Send Projects to Space
                                                                                               VALENTINE’S ACTIVITIES

                                                                                         38-39 GREEN COUNTRY GROWN UP
                                                                                               Ali Hanson: Good to the Bone
                                                                                               By Nancy A. Moore

                                                                                         42    I’M A TULSA KID
                                                                                               Collin Emeric Blake Walters:
                                                                                               MLK Essay Contest Winner
                                                                                               By Sheeba Atiqi

                                                                                         40-41 SPECIAL SECTION:
                                                                                               HEALTH, WELLNESS & FITNESS GUIDE

36         Events Commemorating
           the Tulsa Race Massacre        42   Collin Emeric Blake Walters:
                                               MLK Essay Contest Winner

                                                    W W W.T U L S A K I D S . C O M                                 FEBRUARY 2021
                                                                                                                                      7
HEALTHY FAMILIES: PEDIATRICIANS ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS YOUR CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH FREE ASTHMA RESOURCES - TulsaKids Magazine
editor’s note                                                                                                                    tulsakids
                                                                                                                                  FOR PARENTS. FOR FAMILIES. FOR LIFE.

Health & Chocolate                                                                                                              Publisher:
                                                                                                                                Associate Publisher
                                                                                                                                                    Charles Foshee

                                                                                                                                & Editor In Chief:	Betty Casey
Health is on the minds of everyone these days. And chocolate may be what
                                                                                                                                Treasurer &
we reach for to get a little temporary comfort. At this writing, there have                                                     Comptroller 	Debbie Talley
been over 400,000 deaths in the U.S. due to COVID-19. Oklahoma is one of                                                        Web Editor:	Tara Rittler
                                                                                                                                Advertising Sales:	Brandi Moore
the top three states for COVID cases. Those are dire statistics, but with the                                                   	Lindsey Copes
vaccine beginning to be distributed, there is real cause for optimism. As a                                                     Production:         Charles Foshee
                                                                                                                                                    Johnny King
friend reminded me, out of chaos, good can come. Setbacks are discourag-
                                                                                                                                Cover Photo:        Andrea Murphy
ing, but they can also bring opportunities.                                                                                                         Photography
                                                                                                                                Distribution:       Joan Perez
As we make our way through the chaos created by the pandemic, we still                                                          Editorial & Special 	Danielle Hill
have work to do. Mental health problems in children and teens have risen                                                        Projects Assistant
                                                                                                                                Contributing Writers:
or become exacerbated. Parents may feel fearful about taking their children                                                       Kiley Roberson
to the doctor for well-child visits. You’ll find articles about both of these                                                     Julie Wenger Watson
                                                                                                                                  John Waldron
problems in our health section this month. I was also contacted by the                                                          	Nancy A. Moore
American Lung Association of Oklahoma about free services, resources and                                                        	Natalie Mikles
                                                                                                                                	Sheeba Atiqi
equipment for parents of children with asthma. Inside, you can find out how                                                     	Brandon Schmitz
                                                                                                                                	Heather Lozano
to connect with resources.
I recently lost a beloved pet. Fortunately, I didn’t have young children look-
ing to me for an explanation of that loss. Kiley Roberson writes about losing
her family’s cat, and how she found ways to talk with her young children
to help them through their sadness. You’ll find some valuable tips from a
veterinarian in her column this month.
The nation celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day last month. Students
throughout Tulsa and the surrounding communities participated in a vari-
ety of creative ways. Our Tulsa Kid this month is the first-place winner of the                                                   TK            PUBLISHING               inc.

MLK essay contest. Read his entire essay in our I’m a Tulsa Kid column.
                                                                                                                                     TulsaKids is published monthly by
And, of course, Valentine’s Day is this month! We haven’t forgotten to                                                                      TK Publishing, Inc.,
                                                                                                                                           1622 So. Denver Ave.,
include some delicious chocolate recipes                                                                                                      Tulsa, OK 74119
                                                                                                                                               (918) 582-8504
from Natalie Mikles that you can make for                                                                                                   FAX (918) 583-1366
                                                                                                                                       Website: www.tulsakids.com
your valentines.                                                                                                                         ©TK Publishing, Inc. 2020.
                                                                                                                                            All Rights Reserved.
                                                                                                                                        Volume XXXIV, Number 2
Wear your mask. Wash your hands. Social
Distance. Stay well.                                                                                                                              Publisher
                                                                                                                                          publisher@tulsakids.com
                                                                                                                                               Editor-In-Chief
                                                 Betty Casey                                                                                editor@tulsakids.com
                                                 associate publisher and                                                                          Calendar
                                                 editor in chief                                                                     (submit by 10th of the month prior)
                                                                                                                                           calendar@tulsakids.com
                                                                                                                                Articles and advertisements in TulsaKids do
                                                                                                                                not necessarily reflect the opinions of the
                                                                                                                                magazine or TK Publishing, Inc. We do not
                                                                                                                                assume responsibility for statements made
                                                                                                                                by advertisers or editorial contributors. The
                                                                                                                                acceptance of advertising by TulsaKids does
                                                                                                                                not constitute an endorsement of the prod-
                                                                                                                                ucts, services, or information. We do not
                             If you like to read TulsaKids, you may not know that                             ON OUR COVER:     knowingly present any product or service
                                                                                                                                which is fraudulent or misleading in nature.
                             you can watch us, too! Every Thursday morning on
                             Tulsa’s Channel 8, the local ABC affiliate, join Editor          COVER WINNER OLIVIA MUTAGAMBA
                             Betty Casey on Good Day Tulsa for tips to plan your             IS READY FOR A HAPPY AND HEALTHY
                             family’s weekend and more. Watch Good Morn-                         YEAR. OLIVIA WEARS A DRESS
                                                                                                 PROVIDED BY LOLLY GARDEN                       MEMBER OF
                                                              ing Oklahoma on                  CHILDREN’S CLOTHING AT UTICA
                                                              Tuesdays for tips on                        SQUARE.
                                                              timely topics and fam-
                                                              ily information you’ll               COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY
                                                              want to know.                     ANDREA MURPHY PHOTOGRAPHY

8        FEBRUARY 2021                                                     W W W .T U L S A K I D S . C O M
HEALTHY FAMILIES: PEDIATRICIANS ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS YOUR CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH FREE ASTHMA RESOURCES - TulsaKids Magazine
news & notes

STUDENTS WIN MLK, JR., HONORS
      The Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Society announced the Tulsa-area students who were honored with awards in the 2021
art, dance, essay and oratorical contests.
      Student contest winners are as follows:

           Hailey McGuire                             Ava Walters                                        Serena Siddiqui

     Youth Art Contest: Students in grades K-6 were asked to create an illustration based on one of three themes that characterizes Dr.
King’s life and work – Love, Peace or Unity – and what the theme means to them. All three winning drawings are showcased in the 2021
MLK Souvenir Book.
     1st Place ($175): Hailey McGuire, 6th grade, McKinley Elementary;
     2nd Place ($125): Ava Walters, 2nd grade, Augustine Christian Academy; and
     3rd Place ($75): Serena Siddiqui, 3rd grade, Holland Hall.
     Interpretive Dance of Peace Contest: Individuals and team ensembles (ages 18 and younger) were encouraged to create and per-
form an interpretive dance with the theme of “Peace.” Dancers were judged based on accuracy, showmanship, choreography and perfor-
mance. Winners are as follows:
     1st Place ($500): Hailey McGuire, 6th grade, McKinley Elementary; and
     2nd Place ($350): Maharai and Marelin Olivares, in 1st and 6th grades, respectively, at Mitchell Elementary.
     Essay Contest: Middle school students (grades 6-8) were asked to write a 350-500 word essay on the topic, “I live my life as a reflec-
tion of Dr. King’s dream by . . .” The essays are published in the 2021 MLK Souvenir Book. Prizes were awarded as follows:
     1st Place ($250): Collin Emeric Blake Walters, 7th grade, Oliver Middle School (Broken Arrow Public Schools);
     2nd Place ($225): Alyssa Kay Martin, 8th grade, Union 8th Grade Center;
     3rd Place ($200): Jordan Dodd, 6th grade, McKinley Elementary;
     4th Place ($175): Isabella Beaty, 7th Grade, Union 6th/7th Grade Center; and
     5th Place ($150): Kaylin Gomez, 6th Grade, McKinley Elementary.

            Sage Asher Scott Walters                         Raashi Karande                               Makayla Goode

    Oratorical Contest: High school students (grades 9-12) were asked to memorize Dr. King’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech for a
chance to showcase their oratorical skills. Prizes were awarded to the following:
    1st Place ($1,000): Sage Asher Scott Walters, 9th grade, Oliver Middle School (Broken Arrow Public Schools);
    2nd Place ($500): Raashi Karande, 9th grade, Union Freshman Academy; and
    3rd Place ($350): Makayla Goode, 10th grade, Union High School.
    Sage Walters, the 1st Place winner, performed Dr. King’s speech live for ONE Gas employees at a special Martin Luther King, Jr. event
on Thursday, January 14. ONE Gas is the official sponsor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Oratorical Contest.

                                                           W W W.T U L S A K I D S . C O M                              FEBRUARY 2021
                                                                                                                                              9
HEALTHY FAMILIES: PEDIATRICIANS ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS YOUR CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH FREE ASTHMA RESOURCES - TulsaKids Magazine
TALKING TO CHILDREN ABOUT VIOLENCE
                                                           Many families and teachers are struggling with how to explain the incidents that
                                                      occurred in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, and are seeking support to help children make
                                                      sense of it all. A guide titled “Talking to Children About Events at the U.S. Capitol” has
                                                      been posted on the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum website at https://memo-
                                                      rialmuseum.com/news/talking-to-children-about-the-events-at-the-u-s-capitol/.

     KIDS AND TEENS INVITED TO ENTER
     TCCL’S CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST
           Tulsa City-County Library’s annual Young People’s Creative Writing Contest
     gives young writers the opportunity to make their voices heard. With three age
     divisions in five different categories, TCCL encourages Tulsa County youths to
     stretch their imaginations and deepen their relationship with writing by telling
     their stories in their own words—or illustrations!
           From Feb. 1-28, students ages 10-18 can participate in this free contest by
     submitting their writing online, by mail or to any TCCL branch. The contest is free
     to enter for those who live or attend school in Tulsa County, or have a nonresident
     library card.
           Within each of the following categories, there are three age divisions: 10-12,
     13-15 and 16-18. Participants may enter one manuscript per category but may enter
     all categories within their corresponding age group. The categories include: Short
     Story; Informal Essay; Poetry; Short Play; and Comix.
           First-, second- and third-place winners are chosen for each age group in each
     category. Cash prizes are awarded in the following amounts: $100 for first place,
     $50 for second place and $25 for third place.
           All entrants will be invited to the awards presentation, which will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 6. Featured speaker Jason
     Reynolds, winner of the Tulsa Library Trust’s 2021 Anne V. Zarrow Award for Young Readers’ Literature, will help present awards to the
     contest winners.
           Entry forms with rules and regulations are available for pickup at all TCCL locations or online at https://tulsalibrary.org/form/YPCWC.
     For more information, call 918.549.7323 or visit www.tulsalibrary.org/YPCWC.

                                           TCC EXPANDS COLLEGE
                                           IN HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM
                                                Students in the Broken Arrow Public Schools and Tulsa Public Schools districts will be able to
                                           earn a college degree from Tulsa Community College at no cost to the student while they complete
                                           high school.
                                                EDGE: Earn a Degree, Graduate Early is a pilot program launched under the name of Early Col-
                                           lege High School with Union Public Schools in 2018. TCC is expanding the pilot in partnership with
                                           Tulsa and Broken Arrow and at the same time changing the name to EDGE.
                                                Beginning this school year, eighth graders in TPS and BAPS will apply and be competitively
                                           selected to participate. From there, those students enroll in a rigorous college prep curriculum as
                                           ninth graders before entering EDGE in the 10th grade where students take a prescribed course
                                           schedule taught by TCC faculty.
          Tulsa Public Schools is launching EDGE at two sites, McLain and Memorial high schools.
          To learn more about EDGE as well as the application process for eighth grade students, parents and students can attend one of the
     information meetings scheduled in February.
          Visit www.tulsacc.edu, dual credit programs at TCC for more information.

10       FEBRUARY 2021                                           W W W .T U L S A K I D S . C O M
Get the Party
 Started...
        with
     TulsaKids’
   Party Planner!

Your guide to the best
 party entertainers,
  venues and more
  in the Tulsa area!

   tulsakids.com/guides

     OSU PEDIATRICS
         Where                        Matter More.

       Call today to make your appointment, 918-382-4600.

osumedicine.com                               MEDICINE
                                                            W W W.T U L S A K I D S . C O M   FEBRUARY 2021
                                                                                                              11
tulsakids.com
What’s Going On(line)?
CONTESTS AND
GIVEAWAYS
CAR PAYMENTS FOR A
YEAR SWEEPSTAKES!
You have till February 8 to enter our Car Payments for a Year Sweep-
stakes! One winner will be chosen out of a national pool of entries to
receive $6,600. Enter at tulsakids.com/contests.

                                                                                “HUG THE ONE YOU
                                                                                LOVE” VALENTINE’S
                                                                                PHOTO CONTEST
                                                                                From January 28-February 10, enter our Valentine’s Photo Contest
                                                                                for a chance to win a Dual/Family Membership to ahha Tulsa! This
                                                                                membership 2 named adults, 4 kids, unlimited admission to ahha,
                                                                                a 10% discount for ahha classes, a 10% gift shop discount and more!
                                                                                To enter, simply upload a photo of your child hugging a parent,
                                                                                caretaker, sibling or pet to our contests page at tulsakids.com/con-
                                                                                tests. We will also share some of the submissions to social media
                                                                                and in our March magazine!

DISCOVERY LAB’S
INTRODUCE A GIRL
TO ENGINEERING DAY
GIVEAWAY
Follow @tulsakidsmagazine on Facebook for a special chance to win
a registration for two to one of Discovery Lab’s Introduce a Girl to
Engineering Day classes, as well as two Guest Passes that can be
used at a later date. The giveaway will take place on Facebook
February 21-24. Learn more about Introduce a Girl to Engineering
Day at discoverylab.org.

12      FEBRUARY 2021                                         W W W .T U L S A K I D S . C O M
GUEST BLOGGER:                                                                      COMING SOON:
AMANDA MURPHY                                                                       TULSAKIDS’ VIRTUAL
About Amanda: Amanda Murphy is
passionate about what parents can                                                   CAMP FAIR
do to enhance and supplement their                                                  To celebrate the release of our 2021 Summer Camp Guide in March,
child’s educational experience out-                                                 TulsaKids will be hosting a Virtual Camp Fair! Follow us on social
side of the classroom. She believes in                                              media or keep an eye out in next month’s magazine for details.
a model where kids grow up excited
to learn, which starts with the parent
or caregiver. As mom to a very bright
and active 5-year-old girl in a not-as-
active pandemic world, Amanda is
constantly seeking out new ways to
tie learning into real life to keep her
daughter engaged. This involves out-
door exploration, a focus on literacy,
building imagination, learning toys,
and much more. Her belief is that
each child is born with a passion for learning, but that harnessing it
correctly is essential. Equally, she believes all children are smart, just
in different ways.
Watch for Amanda Murphy’s Guest Blog posts at tulsakids.com/blog.
We will also share them on Facebook and in our weekly eNewsletters!

ASK TULSAPARENTS:
WHAT’S YOUR FAMILY’S
TOP HEALTH TIP?
We asked members of our Facebook group, TulsaParents, to share
their family’s top health tips. Katerina A. said, “After Amelia (10 yo)
and I discovered Cosmic Kids yoga, we’ve been doing it a couple times
a week. It’s great for both kids and grown ups. And it’s free!”

DON’T MISS OUT:
SUBSCRIBE TO TULSAKIDS’
MAILING LIST!
Get the latest news from TulsaKids all month long by signing up for
our email list at tulsakids.com/newsletter. We send out weekly news-
letters as well as special offers and info from local partners.

           Follow us on Facebook (@tulsakidsmagazine) and
         Instagram (@tulsakids) for additional content and fun!

                                                                   W W W.T U L S A K I D S . C O M                                 FEBRUARY 2021
                                                                                                                                                         13
stages: babies & toddlers
B Y KI LEY R O BE RSON

                             losing a furry
                            family member:
                           helping kids cope
B
          eing a parent is the most                                                                                        Stick to the Truth
          rewarding experience                                                                                                   Avoid trying to gloss over
          of my life. Every day, my                                                                                        the event with a lie. Telling a
          kids teach me something                                                                                          young child that “Buster ran
new about myself, the world                                                                                                away” or “Max went on a trip” is
around me and the overall human                                                                                            not a good idea. It probably won’t
experience. I do have to say, that                                                                                         alleviate the sadness about los-
while my children are certainly                                                                                            ing the pet, and if the truth does
my entire world, my parenting                                                                                              come out, your child will probably
adventures actually started with                                                                                           be angry that you lied.
a little black kitten named Ally.                                                                                          Help Your Child Cope
My husband and I found the little                                                                                                Kids usually feel a variety of
stray when we were still dating                                                                                            emotions besides sadness after
in college. She was our first pet                                                                                          the death of a pet. They might
together and saw us through mar-                                                                                           experience loneliness, anger if the
riage, moves, jobs and children.                                                                                           pet was euthanized, frustration
She was an instant best friend to                                                                                          that the pet couldn’t get better, or
both our kids, and her relaxed,                                                                                            guilt about times that they were
loving nature helped inspire their                                                                                         mean to or didn’t care for the pet
current love for animals.                                                                                                  as promised.
       After 16 years of loving                                                                                                  Help kids understand that
our Ally cat, our family had to                                                                                            it’s natural to feel all of those
say goodbye to her last month.                                                                                             emotions and don’t feel com-
While I knew this day would                                                                                                pelled to hide your own sadness
come and also knew it would be                                                                                             either. Showing how you feel and
hard, I never truly anticipated the                                                                                        talking about it openly sets an
                                                         BE HONEST AND FOLLOW YOUR CHILD’S
intense sense of loss our children                                                                                         example for kids. You show that
                                                        LEAD IN DEALING WITH THE LOSS OF A PET.
would experience. My heart broke                                                                                           it’s OK to feel sad when you lose
all over again as I helped them         Sharing the News and the Grief                the pet’s pain away                  a loved one, to talk about your
grieve her death, each in their              One of the most difficult              * the pet will die peacefully, with-   feelings, and to cry when you feel
own way. My daughter needed             parts about losing a pet may be               out feeling hurt or scared           sad. And it’s comforting to kids
a good cry and closure, actually        breaking the bad news to kids.                   Our vet also reminded us          to know that they’re not alone in
saying goodbye and keeping her          Try to do so one-on-one in a place          that when you have to euthanize        feeling sad.
collar close by her bedside. My         where they feel safe and comfort-           a pet, be careful about saying the     Looking Ahead
son kept things in and needed           able and not easily distracted.             animal went “to sleep” or “got               Perhaps most important,
long talks about the importance              If your pet is very old or has         put to sleep.” Young kids tend to      talk about your pet, often and
of sharing our feelings even when       a long illness, consider talking to         take things literally, so this can     with love. Let your child know
they make us sad.                       kids before the death happens. If           make them think the animal could       that while the pain will go away,
       Ally was our first family pet,   you have to euthanize your pet,             wake back up or even conjure up        the happy memories of the pet
and helping our kids cope with her      you may want to explain the fol-            scary ideas about their own sleep.     will always remain. When the
loss has been a completely new          lowing:                                          If the pet’s death is more        time is right, you might consider
experience. Thankfully our veter-       * the veterinarians have done               sudden, calmly explain what has        adopting a new pet — not as a
inarian was able to help. He pro-         everything that they can                  happened. Be brief, and let your       replacement, but as a way to wel-
vided information and literature        * the pet would never get better            child’s questions guide how much       come another animal friend into
on ways to process their pain.          * this is the kindest way to take           information you provide.               your family.

14      FEBRUARY 2021                                             W W W .T U L S A K I D S . C O M
stages: tweens & teens
 B Y JU LI E W ENGE R WAT SON

              new college app helps
                students navigate
                admission search
“I  want to help level the playing
    field,” Terrie Shipley says.
    “We’ve kind of lost our way
    with college admissions.”
 Shipley, an independent college
 counselor, recently launched
 Apply U, an education technolo-
 gy startup she hopes will make
 premiere college counseling
 services accessible to every
 student.
       “We’re looking at
 400-to-one student-to-counsel-
 or ratios as a national average,
 and many schools have a ratio
 that is higher than that,” Shipley
 explains. “Many students just
 don’t have the help they need
 to get into college, much less to
 have a better chance to get into                                                                                         To Learn More….
 a college they really love.”                                                                                                   TulsaKids publishes an
       According to Shipley, pri-                                                                                         annual College Planner with
 vate college counseling services                                                                                         information about planning for
 can cost thousands of dollars, a                                                                                         life after high school. Local high
 price tag that is out of range for                                                                                       schools have print copies, but
 most families. Shipley’s program                                                                                         you can find the most current
 would leverage technology to                                                                                             issue and past issues on our
 provide some of that same, indi-                                                                                         website at www.tulsakids.com.
 vidualized help without the sig-                 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OFTEN NEED HELP RESEARCHING                        Information includes:
 nificant expense.                                    AND APPLYING TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.                          • a timeline of what to do each
       “It’s not fair for this type of                                                                                       year of high school
                                         really want out of a university             that students can use to start       • how and when to fill out the
 college coaching to be only open        and, down the line, a career.               their journey.
 to those who are more affluent,”                                                                                            Free Application for Federal
                                               “This program is really                     “A little bit more of the         Student Aid (FAFSA)
 Shipley says. “Apply U is my            about life design, as ‘new age-y’           soul-searching stuff is going to
 attempt to try to bring it to more                                                                                       • free college opportunities
                                         and hokey as that sounds,” Ship-            pay off a lot, not just in feeling      available in Oklahoma
 people.”                                ley says. “Students are forced              like you’ve got a good fit and       • questions to consider when
       She plans to begin piloting       to answer the wrong questions.              you’re maximizing your time,            choosing a college or university
 the program this spring with            They’re asked, ‘which college               but even in just having the confi-   • how to write a college applica-
 some local schools. Effectively,        will you get into,’ or ‘what line of        dence to navigate the family hol-       tion essay
 it will be an interactive online        work will you get into?’ Instead,           iday party or hallway locker talk    • how to prepare for a college
 course that guidance, college           they should be guided on, ‘what             like ‘where are you applying?’          interview
 and career counselors can use           do you want to get out of this?’”           and ‘did you get in here,’” Ship-    • advice from college admission
 to help their students find the               Although Apply U won’t be             ley notes. “It’s about confidence,      counselors
 right fit.                              fully launched for a few months,            and if you’re confident about        • explanation of terms such as
       Although Shipley’s program        Shipley has a free resource                 the process, you’re just going to       “demonstrated interest” and more
 will help students tackle the col-      available on her website www.               have a better time.”                 NOTE: Congress changed the
 lege application and admission          apply-u.com. The College Better                                                  FAFSA form, but those changes
 process, it’s also a tool to help       Gameboard is a downloadable                                                      will not take effect until July 1,
 them contemplate what they              PDF that provides a framework                                                    2023. ).

                                                                    W W W.T U L S A K I D S . C O M                                   FEBRUARY 2021
                                                                                                                                                           15
education
B Y BRA N D O N SCHMIT Z

          Summit Christian
       Academy Students Send
          Projects to Space
S
           pace exploration sparks                                                                                          ing place,” Bradley said. “The
           the imagination, igniting                                                                                        announcer there brought the stu-
           dreams of discoveries lit-                                                                                       dents on stage and interviewed
           erally beyond this world.                                                                                        them in front of everyone.”
The students at Summit Christian                                                                                                   After the launch, the group
Academy in Tulsa are following                                                                                              toured the center itself.
that dream, as two groups earned                                                                                                   “We got to visit a rocket park
the opportunity to send their                                                                                               and an IMAX theater
experiments to the stars.                                                                                                   presentation about the Apollo
      In October of 2019, eight                                                                                             mission,” Rose said. “It was such
teams of Summit students com-                                                                                               a cool look at the history
peted in the Tulsa Research Kids                                                                                            of space travel.”
DreamUp competition. Each group                                                                                                    With ambitious projects such
conducted space-based research                                                                                              as these, the full impact of the
and presented an experiment pro-                                                                                            journey often doesn’t hit us until
posal to a panel of judges.                                                                                                 we reach its conclusion.
      “When it came to these                                                                                                       “When we got to the end of it
projects, I encouraged the kids to                                                                                          all, I realized just how much work
dream big,” said Stephanie Brad-                                                                                            we had put into it, so it was great
ley, Summit’s STEAM and Enrich-                                                                                             to see it pay off,” Rose said. “I’m
ment Instructor. “Think about                                                                                               most proud of the fact that I stuck
traveling to Mars or staying on the                                                                                         with it. I’ll sometimes give up on
moon – what can we do to help                                                                                               things because they’re too hard,
further that?”                                SUMMIT CHRISTIAN ACADEMY STUDENTS WITH TEACHER STEPHANIE                      so just the fact that I did it without
                                                  BRADLEY AT NASA’S KENNEDY SPACE CENTER WAIT TO SEE
      Ultimately, this statewide, K-12          THEIR PROJECTS BLAST INTO SPACE ON THE SPACEX FALCON 9.
                                                                                                                            giving up made me so happy.”
competition awarded three teams.                                                                                                   It’s worth noting, too, that
One victory went to Jenks, while the             “I’m just so proud of them           young scientists’ journey. Through-   these experiments were original-
other two went to Summit.                 for all of the confidence they have         out the past year, the students       ly set for launch in the summer
      “I was thrilled to see these        gained,” said Chanda Taylor,                worked remotely with a NASA           of 2020. However, the ongoing
kinds of results,” Bradley said.          Addison’s mother. “If all goes well,        representative to prepare their mix   COVID-19 pandemic made the
“Even so, when I saw that we had          we’re kind of hoping we’ll be able          stick, a three-chambered test tube    process a much more harrowing
won two of the three spots, I was         to sell Wear-Flex to NASA. Those            used for experiments in space.        experience than it otherwise
like ‘does that look OK?’”                guys need this!”                                  Upon preparation, the proj-     would’ve been.
      One of the Summit students’                Summit’s second claim to             ects were shipped to NASA’s                  “I’m just so impressed by the
winning projects was Wear-Flex,           space-fairing fame centered on              Kennedy Space Center. They            perseverance they showed as a
a synthetic compound designed             sea monkeys, otherwise known as             were then loaded into the SpaceX      team,” Bradley said. “Collectively,
to make flexible rubber. Led by           brine shrimp. Headed by elemen-             Falcon 9, which carried the exper-    it took us more than a year to see
middle-schoolers Addison Taylor           tary students Stryker Ashworth              iments to the International Space     this to the finish line. Even after
and Mayzie Burke, this experi-            and Ainsley Rose, this project              Station, where astronauts will        the launch was pushed beyond the
ment aims to determine whether            investigated whether sea mon-               carry out the experiment.             summer and into September, that
this substance will be able to fix        keys would grow at a different                    Bradley, the two teams and      became October. Then October
damage caused by space debris in          rate in microgravity. They are an           their parents were invited to wit-    became November, and November
microgravity. According to Brad-          abundant source of nutrition for            ness Falcon 9’s launch firsthand      became December. The fact that
ley, the compound is already used         fish – fish that will, in turn, be          this past December.                   we had to manage all of this during
to fix flat tires on Earth, so the stu-   used as food for the astronauts.                  “This was my first time         a pandemic – that we still saw it
dents hope to replicate the prod-                Winning the competition              visiting the Kennedy Space            through and enjoyed this kind of
uct’s earthly capabilities in space.      itself was only the beginning of the        Center, and it’s just such an amaz-   success is so gratifying.”

16       FEBRUARY 2021                                              W W W .T U L S A K I D S . C O M
SUMMIT
INSPIRES
    KNOW God
    MAXIMIZE Potential
    DISCOVER Purpose
    MAKE a Difference

Summit Christian Academy
is a leader in distinctive
Christian education.
Providing a dynamic academic and
social environment that inspires
students to Know God; Maximize their
Potential; Discover their Purpose; and
Make a Difference in their world.

Visit our website and discover why Summit is Broken Arrow’s largest K-12 private school.

                                                                                        NOW ENROLLING
                                                                                 FOR 2021-2022  CLASSES
                                         W W W.T U L S A K I D S . C O M                  FEBRUARY 2021   15
                                                                           918.251.1997 • WWW.SUMMIT.SCHOOL
a dad’s view
B Y REP. JO H N WALDRON

safe schools, smart schools
W
                e’ve endured one                                                                                        deserve access to quality virtual
                of the most dif-                                                                                        and hybrid public educational
                ficult semesters                                                                                        models. The state and districts
                in the history of                                                                                       must continue their efforts to
Oklahoma education. As the                                                                                              ensure that all students have
COVID-19 pandemic spread                                                                                                access to the internet and
through our state, some dis-                                                                                            devices for online learning. The
tricts stayed open, some went                                                                                           pandemic has taught us that
to virtual education, and others                                                                                        internet access is a public utility
tried hybrid models. The lack of                                                                                        and a matter of public benefit.
a coherent state-wide plan or                                                                                                 It is one thing to wish for
clear set of guidelines left every                                                                                      a return to normal. It will take
superintendent and school board                                                                                         leadership and commitment
to their own devices as to how                                                                                          to create the conditions for a
to respond. The result has been                                                                                         return to normal, or hopefully
confusing, even chaotic, and                                                                                            to a new normal that is better
forced us to take a long, hard                                                                                          and more equitable than the
look at our school system. How                                                                                          old model. We owe it to the
do we guarantee an education to                                                                                         rising generation, to those we
every child during a pandemic?                                                                                          have lost, and to those who
And how do we do it safely?                                                                                             will come after us to overcome
      The short answer is, we           rates, and we have pushed our              contact-tracing infrastructure.      the conditions of the present
don’t know yet. But even as large       healthcare system to its limits.                 • All faculty and staff        pandemic and provide a better
urban districts like Tulsa and          If we want schools to re-open              should have access to vaccines       world for all hereafter.
Oklahoma City grapple with the          in person, we should ask the               before schools reopen. Health
logistics of pandemic education,        citizens of Oklahoma to make               Secretary Frye set a target                NOTE: Governor Kevin
pressure grows on school boards         responsible sacrifices for the             of 175,000 vaccinations by           Stitt announced in Jan. that
to “open up the schools” and            common good.                               the end of December. The             Oklahoma schools following
declare a return to normal.                   • Schools must have the              latest statistics report 30,000      safety protocols, including mask-
      As districts plan how they        resources to make investments              vaccinations given. We               wearing and social distancing,
will return to in-person instruction,   in PPE, air quality and classroom          need an efficient statewide          will be permitted to forgo the
here are a few suggestions for          spaces to protect students,                distribution system, including       mandatory two-week quarantine
clear criteria and reasonable           teachers and staff. CARES Act              the participation of pharmacy        period for potential COVID-19
safeguards to ensure that the           money should be prioritized for            chains, to blunt community           exposures.
process is as safe as possible:         this purpose. Schools must be              spread and protect students,               State Superintendent Joy
      • Masks must be required          safe learning spaces.                      faculty and staff.                   Hofmeister responded to the
at schools. This is a minimum.                • We should have a robust                  • Faculty and staff should     governor’s new guidelines, saying
In July, Superintendent                 system of contact tracing and              have the option, where possible,     that while she agrees in-person
Hofmeister called for including         COVID-19 testing based on a                to work remotely and/or from         school is critical, COVID-19 is still
mask mandates in state school           partnership between our public             home if they have pre-existing       rampant in the state.
guidelines. Unfortunately, the          schools and our state and county           conditions that make them more             “The ramifications of the
State School Board turned these         health departments. Current                vulnerable to the virus. We should   pandemic on education have
guidelines into recommendations.        testing rates are too low.                 also increase the pay of essential   been challenging and severe.
Governor Stitt recently nixed a         Positive test result rates are too         staff working as custodians, bus     While this option underscores
reopening plan that would have          high. People are being asked to            drivers, kitchen workers and in      the need for mask requirements
required masks in school. He            do their own contact tracing as            other functions. Essential workers   in school, I cannot in good
should reconsider.                      the level of community spread              deserve protections and a decent     conscience support ignoring
      • We need a statewide             has overwhelmed county                     paycheck.                            quarantine guidelines from the
mask mandate. Oklahoma is a             health efforts. We need more                     • Parents who want to          CDC and other infectious disease
top state in COVID-transmission         investment in our testing and              remain in virtual education          experts.”

18      FEBRUARY 2021                                            W W W .T U L S A K I D S . C O M
Jenks/South Tulsa - Feb 5-7
        Woodland Hills Mall
  Broken Arrow - Feb 26-28
         Rhema Rec Cntr.

50%-90% OFF RETAIL
on everything you need for kids!
      SAVE THE DATE!
        Tulsa: March 25-28
           jbfsale.com

                              W W W.T U L S A K I D S . C O M   FEBRUARY 2021
                                                                                19
health
B Y BETTY C ASE Y

FREE ENVIRONMENTAL HELP
FOR CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA
F
    amilies who are having diffi-                                                                                manage your child’s asthma, call
    culties managing their child’s                                                                               1.800.LUNGUSA (5864872) or
    asthma can participate in an                                                                                 visit www.lung.org.
    environmental assessment
    option offered by the Amer-
    ican Lung Association at no
                                                                                                                 Common
cost. The American Lung Asso-                                                                                    Asthma Triggers
ciation of Oklahoma is working                                                                                   In and Around
to reduce the environmental
triggers in the homes of children
                                                                                                                 the Home
with asthma by offering free                                                                                         • Trees
home assessments, resources                                                                                          • Mold
and equipment for families.                                                                                          • Cleaners
      A trigger is something in
                                                                                                                     • Indoor/Outdoor dust
the environment that can make
asthma worse. According to                                                                                           • Mites
the American Lung Associa-                                                                                           • Roaches
tion (www.lung.org), removing                                                                                        • Paint fumes
asthma triggers will decrease                                                                                        • Car fumes
hospitalizations, emergency
                                                                                                                     • Scents
department visits and reduce         supplies, smoke detector, fire            families can contact the Amer-
rescue medication use.               extinguisher or allergen-reduc-           ican Lung Association. Once           • Wood Burning
      The program is completely      ing pillow encasements, all at            the assessment is completed,          • Pets
free for families, and after par-    no cost. A virtual option also is         the remediation supplies are          • Cooking Scents Smoke
ticipating in the assessment,        available where a walkthrough             shipped to their homes.
                                                                                                                     • Smoking
the American Lung Association        can be conducted by video chat.                To schedule a visit,
will provide home items that              To schedule a home assess-           contact Patrick Hattaway              • Pests
will best help them control asth-    ment, which will include assess-          at 918.747.3442 or email              • Flowers
ma such as a vacuum cleaner,         ing the child’s clinical symptoms         Patrick.Hattaway@Lung.org.
Swiffer-style mop, cleaning          and providing asthma education,                To learn more about how to

20      FEBRUARY 2021                                        W W W .T U L S A K I D S . C O M
health
B Y BETTY C ASE Y

DON’T IGNORE CHILDREN’S
AND TEENS’ EMOTIONAL HEALTH
E
    veryone, including children                                                                                     “They think that’s helping them
    and teens, needs some alone                                                                                     because it feels comfortable,
    time. But, if children are                                                                                      but it makes them more stuck in
    spending unusual amounts of                                                                                     their heads with those negative
    time isolated in their rooms,                                                                                   thoughts. If we really retreat
    or if their behavior raises con-                                                                                into ourselves, we start to live
cerns for you, it may be time to                                                                                    in our heads, and we think a lot
open up a discussion with them.                                                                                     of negative things about our-
      Even before the coronavi-                                                                                     selves.”
rus hit, mental health problems                                                                                           Perez offers the following
such as depression and anxiety                                                                                      suggestions:
were rising in children ages 6                                                                                            Normalize their reactions
to 17, according to the Centers                                                                                     and understand your own emo-
for Disease Control and Preven-                                                                                     tions. Before you talk to your
tion. Lorri Perez, senior program                                                                                   child, check in with your own
director for the Child and Family                                                                                   emotions and be truthful about
Strengthening Center and Pro-                                                                                       them. Make sure you are calm
fessional Services at Family &                                                                                      before reaching out to your child.
Children’s Services, says that                                                                                      If you notice your child doing
isolation caused by the COVID-                                                                                      something out of the ordinary,
19 pandemic can make these                                                                                          such as playing video games
problems worse.                        children, a feeling that has             stressful, too.”                    all day alone, you might say, “I
      “A lot of the kids that we       heightened with the length of                  Children who have strug-      notice you’re sitting in your room
see for mental health are already      the pandemic coupled with cool-          gled with depression and anxi-      a lot, and I know it might feel
struggling with school anyway,”        er weather.                              ety in the past may be especially   good to be alone in your room.
Perez says. “Online school                  “Now we’re starting to see          at risk. The isolation during the   Let’s talk about some things you
ramped up the anxiety for kids         fatigue,” Perez says. “People are        pandemic has given them an          can do to get you doing things.”
and their parents.”                    tired of this. They can’t go out-        excuse to withdraw.                 Perez says the idea is to validate
      Many times, parents are          side as much for relief. People                “They keep withdrawing
at a loss as to how to help their      being stuck all together – that’s        more and more,” Perez says.                        continued next page

                                                               W W W.T U L S A K I D S . C O M                                 FEBRUARY 2021
                                                                                                                                                   21
health
their feelings without judging              Reassure them and be                  Perez says.                         can help keep the channels of
them, not to make kids feel bad       truthful. “In uncertain times,                   Be present. “A lot of older    communication open, and will
about what they’re doing, but to      kids look to us,” Perez says.               kids and teenagers may not          let children know that they can
help them come out of it.             Kids and teens need to know                 be comfortable with saying, ‘I      come to you with their concerns.
     Open the conversation,           that someone cares about them.              care’,” Perez says. Sometimes             Reach out for help or to talk
listen and be open for discus-        Assure children that you love               your kid may just need your         to someone if you feel you need
sion. It may be uncomfortable         them, even when they may be                 presence.”                          it, or if you are concerned about
for some parents to talk about        acting in an unlovable way, and                  Physical presence and          your child.
emotions, and those conversa-         that you can work through prob-             physical touch is a human need,
tions can feel awkward if we          lems together. Acknowledge                  so find ways to provide that        Family & Children’s Services:
haven’t had them before. Perez        that it’s a tough time for you,             presence for your children.         918.587.9471; www.fcsok.org
says that’s okay. Use language        too, and talk about strategies                   “Don’t be on your phone;            COPES/Crisis Hotline/
that feels right for you, but don’t   that you use to help yourself.              don’t do other things,” Perez       Help: Adults and children who
get into a power struggle by try-     Model those strategies. Chil-               says. “Listen. Be there for them.   are in crisis and need immedi-
ing to force children to talk or to   dren, especially young children,            Try to have some sort of conver-    ate help can call COPES 24/7 at
take action. If your child assures    like routine. They may also need            sation with them. Be physically     918.744.4800
you that everything is fine or        help naming their emotions.                 and mentally present. Seize              If you think your child
shuts you down, give it time.         While you can’t promise that                opportunities such as time in the   or adolescent is suicidal, you
     “Be consistent,” Perez says.     everything will be fine, you can            car or cooking together in the      can call the National Suicide
“You may have to go back and          offer reassurance.                          kitchen to talk with teens.”        Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-
keep asking. Say, ‘I’ll check on            “Tell them, ‘I’m here; I love              Perez says that regularly      273-8255 or 911 if there is an
you tomorrow or check in with         you. I’m going to be here, and              checking in with children and       emergency.
you later today.’”                    I’m going to take care of you’,”            teens in a nonjudgmental way

     DISMANTLING RACISM
     INTERACTIVE FACEBOOK LIVE SESSIONS                                                            Najah-Amatullah Hylton
                                                                                                   and Quraysh Ali Lansana
                                                                                                                                       Illustrated by
                                                                                                                                        Skip Hill

     OPAL’S GREENWOOD OASIS
     Celebrating Black Wall Street history through the eyes of a young
     Black girl. A discussion with authors Najah-Amatullah Hylton,
     Quraysh Ali Lansana and illustrator Skip Hill.

     FEBRUARY 17 @ NOON
     PARTICIPATE LIVE AND WATCH PA S T BROADC A S T S AT
     FACEBOOK.COM/ TULSAKIDSMAGA ZINE

22      FEBRUARY 2021                                           W W W .T U L S A K I D S . C O M
health
B Y BETTY C ASE Y

PEDIATRICIANS ANSWER
COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT
CHILDREN’S HEALTH
H
     aving a child means that                                                                                        with acetaminophen or ibupro-
     you will have health care                                                                                       fen (if over 6 months of age). If
     questions, and COVID-19                                                                                         your child is 12 weeks of age or
     makes things even more                                                                                          younger, lethargic, with severe
     complicated. We asked                                                                                           headaches or abdominal pain,
     Drs. Danielle Morgan and                                                                                        sore throat, rash, neck pain,
Ryan Mundy with Premiere                                                                                             ear pain, excessive vomiting, or
Pediatrics of Bixby to answer                                                                                        signs of dehydration, then they
a few general questions about                                                                                        need to be evaluated. If your
children’s health.                                                                                                   child may have a heat-related
      1. Is it okay to take my                                                                                       illness, is immunosuppressed,
child for well-child visits                                                                                          or has a chronic disorder such
during the pandemic? Should                                                                                          as sickle cell disease, call your
my child be getting the regular                                                                                      doctor. Additional reasons to
vaccines? Should my child get a                                                                                      be seen by your physician are
flu shot?                                                                                                            fevers that consistently rise
      It is indeed recommended                                                                                       over 104 degrees Fahrenheit,
that you continue well visits for                                                                                    seizures, fevers lasting over 24
your children, whether that be in                                                                                    hours in a child under the age of
the office or a virtual visit. Many   what happens? Can they catch              age-recommended and catch-up         2 years, or for more than three
clinics have altered the way that     up?                                       vaccination schedules are easily     days in a child over 2-years old.
they see patients during the               We understand that many              accessible on the CDC website,            4. Are there different
pandemic to ensure a safe envi-       parents delayed getting their             www.cdc.gov.                         protocols now for when and if I
ronment for your child. It is also    child into their doctor’s office                3. If my child has a fever,    should take my child to the doc-
highly recommended that your          due to the fears surrounding              should I call the doctor?            tor because of COVID?
child receive his or her sched-       the pandemic and may have                       Not necessarily. Most fevers        Many clinics have altered
uled vaccines as well as the          fallen behind on their vaccine            in children are the result of a      the way they operate due to
annual flu vaccine.                   schedule. It is quite easy to             viral infection, and less common-    COVID. We have closed our
      2. If I didn’t take my child    get your child up to date on his          ly a bacterial one. Fevers can
to get vaccines on schedule,          or her vaccinations. Both the             typically be managed at home                        continued next page

                                                               W W W.T U L S A K I D S . C O M                                  FEBRUARY 2021
                                                                                                                                                    23
health
waiting rooms and ask that you        immediately. A resource that I              and wheezing, but shortness of
call upon arrival from the park-      often suggest that parents use              breath, poor activity tolerance,
ing lot. We screen all patients       is healthychildren.org. It offers           chest tightness and increased
prior to bringing them into the       excellent information to parents            work of breathing are often
building. We separate our well        on numerous subjects, including             present. If your child has any
checks and sick visits by sched-      RSV.                                        wheezing, a prolonged cough,
uling them at different times               7. I worry about taking               especially at night, or has trou-
and by using separate areas of        my baby out in the cold. What’s             ble keeping up with other kids
the clinic for each. Our goal is to   the best way to dress an infant             on the playground, they need to
navigate this pandemic as safely      in cold weather?                            be evaluated for asthma.
as possible while still being able          When taking your little one                 10. Should I give my
to provide excellent care for your    outside, be sure to use multiple            child vitamins or other supple-
child.                                thin layers of clothing, boots,             ments? If so, what should I give
      5. How do I know if my          mittens and a hat to keep them              them?
child has the flu, a cold or          warm and dry. Dress them as                       It is typically not necessary
maybe COVID-19 or something           you would yourself, but add an              for your child to require vitamins
else?                                 extra layer or two to their outfit.         or supplements, even if they
      There can be a lot of over-     Remember, children should not               are picky eaters. A healthy diet
lap with the common cold, flu         wear bulky coats while in a car             and staying hydrated is enough        One & Done Treatment
and COVID-19 in children. The         seat. Pillows, quilts, blankets             for most children, including           Over 99% Effective
flu most commonly involves            and bumpers should be kept out              young athletes. There are spe-
                                                                                                                          30 Day Guarantee
abrupt onset of fevers (often         of infant sleeping areas to avoid           cial populations of children that
over 102F), cough, runny nose         suffocation.                                do require vitamins, for exam-         918.779.0001
and headaches in children, but              8. Can a child get sick               ple, exclusively nursing infants      3421 E 21st Street, Tulsa, OK
can also feature body aches,          from being out in the cold?                 require supplementation with            LiceClinicsMidsouth.com

sore throat and vomiting. Com-              The cold weather in and               vitamin D, and sometimes iron.
mon cold symptoms may be              of itself cannot cause illness.                   11. My child’s school is
similar, but typically the fevers     During the cold weather season              open, but no one has been vac-
are low grade and the patient is      children spend quite a bit more             cinated against COVID-19 yet.
not nearly as ill. COVID-19 is a      time indoors and in close proxim-           Is it ok to send my child back to
little trickier. Many children that   ity, increasing the risk of trans-          school?
have COVID-19 are asymptomat-         mitting infections. Ensuring that                 Yes, it is okay to send
ic or have only mild symptoms.        your child is properly dressed to           your child back. Schools have
Those that do have symptoms           venture out into the cold is very           taken the appropriate steps to
can have fevers, sore throat,         important in preventing any cold            make your child’s school as safe
cough, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea,     related issues, such as frostbite.          as possible. Does that mean
vomiting, shortness of breath,              9. How do I know if my                that they won’t be exposed
body aches and loss of taste          child might have asthma or                  to COVID-19? Not necessarily.
and/or smell.                         allergies?                                  Therefore, determining wheth-
      6. What is RSV, and                   Seasonal allergies typically          er your child should go back to
should I be worried about it?         happen around the same time                 school or participate in virtual
      RSV, or respiratory syn-        every year and are associated               learning is best left to the par-
cytial virus, is a very common        with pollens. Other allergens               ent. You are not going to make
cause of upper respiratory tract      can be present throughout the               the wrong decision regardless
infections. For most children, it     year, such as dust and pet dan-             of the path you choose. Follow
is much like having a cold. For       der. Symptoms of allergic rhinitis          the age-based guidelines on the
some, however, it can cause           include itchy eyes and nose,                wearing of masks, instruct your
bronchiolitis or pneumonia,           clear nasal discharge, sneez-               children on proper hand washing
which can lead to respiratory         ing, itchy ears and sometimes               and discuss appropriate distanc-
issues. Infants younger than 6        a scratchy throat. Unlike upper             ing and avoiding gatherings to
months and those with chronic         respiratory tract infections, aller-        reduce the spread of COVID-19.
health issues are at higher risk.     gic rhinitis is not associated with
If your child shows any signs         fevers or a really sore throat.
of respiratory difficulty, such as          Asthma is one of the most
wheezing, increased work of           common chronic diseases in
breathing, or signs of dehydra-       childhood. The most common
tion, they need to be evaluated       symptoms of asthma are cough

24      FEBRUARY 2021                                           W W W .T U L S A K I D S . C O M
W W W.T U L S A K I D S . C O M   FEBRUARY 2021
                                                  25
books
BY HEATHER LOZANO, YOUTH ASSOCIATE, SOUTH BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY

                                           Maximizing
                                           Screen Time
                   HOW TO MAKE SCREEN TIME LEARNING TIME

S
           creens, screens every-                                                                                     screen time:
           where!                                                                                                           Talk: Talking builds phono-
                  As most par-                                                                                        logical awareness, vocabulary,
           ents have discovered,                                                                                      language awareness, background
between Zoom school for kids                                                                                          knowledge and emotional secu-
and working from home for                                                                                             rity and trust. When we talk we
adults, the pandemic has meant                                                                                        build up what our children under-
way more screen time for                                                                                              stand as they learn to read.
everyone.                                                                                                                   Activity: As you watch TV
      But will this increased time                                                                                    together, ask questions about
in front of technology inevitably                                                                                     the show you’re watching. What
lead to negative outcomes?                                                                                            color is a character’s car? What
      Not necessarily! Pediatrics                                                                                     do you think will happen next?
professor Jenny Radesky, author                                                                                       Then pause and wait for your
of the American Academy of                                                                                            child to think through a response.
Pediatrics’ 2016 screen-time rec-                                                                                     Talk about what you see on the
ommendations, wants parents to                                                                                        screen: “That elephant feels sad.
recognize the aspects of media                                                                                        What do you think it needs”?
use that can be both positive and                                                                                           Sing: Singing breaks down
meaningful for families.                                                                                              words into syllables and helps
      “People are using screens                                                                                       kids learn that words are made
to check on neighbors, organize                                                                                       up of smaller parts. It provides
help and talk to family members                                                                                       that rich stimulation for their
and friends they so dearly miss,”                                                                                     brains through repetition. Addi-
she writes.                                                                                                           tionally, it teaches listening skills,
      Furthermore, there are ways                                                                                     something that you need when
that parents can make screen time                                                                                     learning to read.
work for the benefit of their chil-                                                                                         Activity: Sing songs to
dren’s growth and development.                                                                                        remember details and instructions,
      First, it is important to ensure    ASPEN LOZANO’S MOMMY MAKES SURE THAT TALKING, SINGING, READING,             express how you feel or even just
screens do not replace physical               WRITING, AND PLAYING ARE A PROMINENT PART OF EVERY DAY!                 to pass the time! You can use the
activity, imaginative play, read-                                                                                     theme song of their favorite show
                                         you need to craft some fun! “Kids          dren while they use tablets or
ing and social interaction. Tulsa                                                                                     as the tune–it’s probably stuck in
                                         Read Curious World” (https://              watch TV can make the expe-
City-County Library has compiled                                                                                      your head anyway.
                                         www.tulsalibrary.org/kids-read-            rience more educational -- ask
many tools to help ease the stress                                                                                          Read: Reading is the best
                                         curious-world) is another resource         questions, make predictions and
of trying to make time off screens                                                                                    thing you can do to richly stimu-
                                         designed to take your children on          celebrate with your child when
impactful. Library staff are experts                                                                                  late your child’s brain. Books are
                                         different topical adventures every         they have a gaming success.
at putting together bundles of                                                                                        fun and full of adventure. Reading
                                         month. Past themes included                     The five ways to Build A
books for kids based on their inter-                                                                                  is “caught not taught” and see-
                                         knights and castles, wolves, maps,         Reader (talk, sing, read, write
est and reading levels. Take and                                                                                      ing reading in a positive light will
                                         and outer space!                           and play) are perfect ways for
Make kits make art super simple:
                                               Next, engaging with chil-            you to engage your kids during
Grab a kit that contains everything                                                                                                    continued next page

26       FEBRUARY 2021                                            W W W .T U L S A K I D S . C O M
shows. You could also find books           and caregiver.
                                        that discuss similar topics- do a               Activity: Pretend to be char-
                                        certain set of sisters thaw frozen         acters from your favorite movie or
                                        hearts around your house? Read             show once the TV is off. Imagine
                                        books about snow! Does your                you are on an adventure you’ve
                                        child prefer shows staring pup-            seen on the screen, and then
                                        pies? Your library could find some         imagine your own adventure! This
                                        books with similar dog breeds-             builds both narrative skills and
                                        you can observe how similar they           your relationship with your child
                                        are to characters your child loves!        through lots of laughter and fun!
                                             Write: Writing helps little                Remember -- it’s not as
                                        ones understand that print has             important what you watch as it is
                                        meaning, while supporting fine             how you watch, when it comes to
                                        motor skills.                              engaging your child throughout
                                             Activity: Draw characters,            screen time. Watching with your
                                        and their names as they watch              child is key to making screen time
                                        the show, or have your child write         an enriching experience.
                                        letters to the characters about                 Finally, practice safe tech.
                                        how they would have solved the             Help kids set their own bound-
                                        problem!                                   aries revolving around tech time,
                                             Play: Play stimulates the             and know what they’re watching
increase your child’s desire to read.   brain through gross and fine               and playing, and with whom.
     Activity: Find books that          motor skills and the use of imag-          Talk about the dangers they
add to what your child is already       ination. Play builds social skills,        could encounter online and how
interested in! Many books fea-          communication skills and increas-          that is handled within your
ture familiar movies, games and         es the bond between the child              family values.

          NOW ENROLLING 3-YEAR-OLDS
                                                                               uschool.utulsa.edu
                                                                                                                                         TU is an EEO/AA institution.

                                                                               918-631-5060
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                                                                  W W W.T U L S A K I D S . C O M                       FEBRUARY 2021
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