Your Health: Day care no-gos

Day care no-gos?Should a child be sent home from day care because of a cold? How about a fever? Or a scalp infection?A recent survey of 305 child-care center directors in Milwaukee found many would send children home unnecessarily.Researchers described five scenarios of mild illness - a cold, pink eye, gastroenteritis, fever and a scalp infection.None of the vignettes met the guidelines for exclusion by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Health Association.Except for the cold, most of the directors would have excluded children unnecessarily because of the infection.The authors, in the journal "Pediatrics," recommended training day care administrators in exclusion guidelines.Nice shot!While we're on the topic of kids, children can get up to date on vaccinations at two DuPage County clinics.Three shots that include immunization for meningitis, chickenpox, tetanus, diptheria and whooping cough (also known as pertussis), will be available to ages 11 to 18 for $15 each.A parent or legal guardian must be with each child. If possible, bring immunization records.The clinics will run from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, May 6, and Thursday, June 3, at the health department's Central Public Health Center, 111 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton.Space is limited, so call (630) 682-7400 for appointments.Eat your veggiesParents magazine offers tips for getting kids to eat their veggies:bull;Sprinkle chopped tomatoes, red peppers, broccoli and basil on top of a pizza. Let the little chef help put on the toppings.bull;Keep sliced carrots, broccoli and pea pods on the table. If they're handy, kids will be more likely to eat them.bull;Instead of french fries, bake your own sweet potato fries. Cut half-inch-thick strips, spray lightly with vegetable oil, season with salt, pepper and paprika, and bake for 15 minutes.bull;Add "stealth" frozen veggies, like cauliflower, broccoli and carrots, to favorite dishes like spaghetti or whole-wheat mac and cheese. Everything tastes better with a little sauce!Infant eye checkParents can get a free eye checkup for children age 6 months to 1 year as part of the InfantSEE program.Pediatricians should conduct an eye exam as part of a routine well-care visit, but optometrists can use special instruments to make a more thorough check.Last year, the program found reason for concern in one out of six children, particularly in low-income kids, for conditions like near- and far-sightedness, lazy eye and crossed eyes. Two children out of 1,000 were found to have a rare cancer, retinoblastoma.To find a participating eye doctor near you, go to infantsee.org, or call (888) 396-EYES (3937).False20001304Parents magazine offers tips for getting kids to eat their veggies. False