HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: lauraf@classy.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Laura Floom)
Subject: Re: Otoscopes for home use
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 17:39:43 GMT

In article <24856@dog.ee.lbl.gov> lindsay@sesame.lbl.gov (Lindsay Schachinger) writes:
>
>On ear infections:
>
>One more question --- has anybody purchased one of these home
>devices for looking in the ear? Are they worthwhile? My
>pediatrician discouraged it, saying we wouldn't really be able to
>see anything, but if she can, why can't we? 
>

My mom is a Nurse Practitioner in Pediatrics, and she has one. It is really
nice to have her peer in Jeffrey's ear whenever we are doubtful. She has been
the first to diagnose all but one of his 4 ear infections (she was out of town
for the other one). She has had a lot of training/practice in this sort of 
thing. Apparently it is not that easy a thing to do. There is a lot of time 
when she will look in his ear and say that it is sort of unclear, then look a
few hours later, and rediagnose. It isnt as easy as looking in and seeing
an infection. 

Also, my mom once told me about the time she was looking in a child's ear,
and accidently nicked something. Blood everywhere! While it isnt particularly
dangerous it is scary, and it is something that almost everyone does once or
twice when they are starting out.

Laura Floom
From: oday@hplabsz.hpl.hp.com (Vicki O'Day)
Subject: baby last names, again
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 16:06:13 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories Palo Alto,CA

In response to the question of what to do about hyphenated names in the next
generation, I agree with the poster who pointed out that the kids will decide,
just as their parents did.  In Spain, where everybody has two last names (not
hyphenated), the mother's name is usually dropped in the next generation,
unless she comes from an especially rich or well-known family and the
kids really want to pass her name on to their own kids :-).  However, I've
noticed something in my husband's family along the lines of what Audrey
pointed out about children knowing something about their heritage - people
know their family trees quite a bit better.  (Of course, they also don't
move around as much as we do in the U.S., and there's not as much immigration.)
But the names provide easy links for remembering and combing through family
From: judyd@aspen.CNA.TEK.COM (Judy E. Drake)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Use of drugs during labor (% wise)
Date: 28 Jul 92 21:52:56 GMT
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Redmond,  OR.

In article <1992Jul28.183606.13160@ast.saic.com> hyler@jaana.ast.saic.com writes:
>
>Just something to think about.  Probably the worst part was expecting
>some relief (I was planning to go as far as I could until it became
>unbearable on the slight chance that I could do this without medication)
>and then not getting it for 2 hours.

Well, a good way to get good service on pain relief is to have your
first kid without it and have back labor so it's good and painful
and scream through the worst contractions at the top of your lungs
and yell at the labor nurses to get your IVs out of you and shake
the sides of your hospital bed and generally be a big pain in the butt
on the maternity ward, like I was.  When I came back three years later 
to have my second, I had already arranged with my OB to have an epidural.  
My anesthesiologist was on the spot even before I was in any real pain.
I got my epidural when I was 3 cm. dilated, and had the smoothest, most
painless labor and birth experience I could imagine.  I must say, 
I was extremely dignified and a lot nicer to everyone the second time, 
much to their relief, I'm sure.  Plus, I looked a lot better in the 
photographs.

Judy Drake
From: lynn@elan.Elan.COM (Lynn Gazis)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Having children close together-happy stories wanted
Date: 24 Jul 92 15:49:18 GMT
Reply-To: lynn@elan (Lynn Gazis)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Elan Computer Group, Inc., Mountain View, CA

I have a sister 10 months older than me, a brother 9 months younger
than me, and a sister 8 months younger than him.  I thought this
spacing was wonderful, because I always had plenty of people to
play with.  Of course, my parents may have found it a little tiring.
(I also have other siblings farther away from me in age, and I
liked that spacing fine too.)

Lynn Gazis-Sax
From: mstern@lindsay.Princeton.EDU (Marlene Stern)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Juvenile Laryngeal Papillomatosis
Keywords: illness
Date: 31 Jul 92 14:06:26 GMT
Organization: Princeton University
Originator: news@ernie.Princeton.EDU


You might remember my posting back in the fall of 1990 when we were awaiting  
the arrival of our daughter Lindsay from Korea.  Lindsay finally arrived from  
Korea in November 1990 at the age of 13 months.  She is a very special child  
and a blesssing to us.  Unfortunately, on our first anniversary together in  
November 1991, Lindsay was diagnosed with Juvenile Laryngeal Papillomatosis, a  
disease in which she grows wart like tumors in her larynx, vocal cords, and  
trachea, and must have continual surgery to keep her airway open.  Lindsay  
currently has surgery under general anesthesia every 2-4 weeks, and has  
undergone 10 surgical procedures at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia since  
her diagnosis 8 months ago.  Despite everything she's been through, she remains  
a happy, active 2 1/2 year old.  We know that eventually she will lose her  
voice completely, and will probably have to have a tracheotomy to keep her  
airway open.  The disease is caused by the same virus that causes cervical  
warts, the human papilloma virus, and the doctors suspect that Lindsay  
contracted the virus by passing through an infected birth canal.  There is a 1%  
chance that a child born to a mother having active cervical warts at the time  
of delivery will have this disease.  A c-section probably would have prevented  
it.  

	For those who live in New Jersey, we will be holding a craft boutique  
at my home Saturday and Sunday, August 15 and 16, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  to benefit  
the Lazar Foundation for Juvenile Laryngeal Papillomatosis, a foundation  
created to aid in the prevention, cure, and treatment of JLP.  Over 40 crafters  
will be displaying their items, and 20-40% of the sales will be donated to the  
Foundation.  The Date:  Saturday and Sunday, August 15 and 16, 10-4
		 Place: 50 Wesleyan Drive, Hamilton Sq., N.J. 08690
For information and directions, please call Marlene or Bill Stern at
609-890-0502 or email Mstern@pucc.princeton.edu.

	Thanks.  Please join us for a fun weekend and help us to help the  
children breathe.
From: judy@locus.com (Judy Leedom Tyrer)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Hitting/Potty Training (3 yr)
Date: 28 Jul 92 00:51:26 GMT
Organization: Locus Computing Corporation, Los Angeles, California

In article <1992Jul22.162310.19953@sco.COM> jeana@sco.COM (Jean Antisdel) writes:
>
>
>Hi 
>
>I wanted to pull the net wisdom on a couple of things.
>
>1) I have recently started having a problem with my (just turned) 
>3 year old son.  He has begun hitting and biting me when he doesn't 
>like an answer to a request.  
>
>2) potty training.  I've read the faq already... perhaps I just need
>to be patient?  

I think there is one answer to both of these issues and it is the same: 
consequences.  It sounds to me like your son doesn't really have any
consequences to his actions.  For example, if he hits you before a swim
lesson (and I am presuming he likes his lessons), you just pick him up,
carry him to the car and go straight home.  If he continues to hit you 
once you're home, he goes to his room until he can be civil.  

Consequences will also work for toilet training.  Just put him in underwear.
If he doesn't use the toilet, he'll soil his clothes.  This is a little more
work for you, but I found that in 3 weeks my son (2.75) had trained himself.

What I see from your post (and it is a limited perspective so I could be
way off base) is that you are in the position most of us find ourselves
in - we are begging our children to behave rather than insisting that they
do so.  "Please sit on your potty" is never going to work (at least for my
kids and many others - maybe for the few who are real parent pleasers).  
But "Here are the consequences for behavior X" really does work.  

Thanks for the post - I needed to remind myself of that ;-)
-- 
Judy Leedom Tyrer

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"	- William Blake
From: tigger@satyr.Sylvan.COM (Grace Sylvan)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Having children close together-happy stories wanted
Date: 21 Jul 92 19:57:51 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Sylvan Associates


   In article <144jjpINNos1@smaug.West.Sun.COM> zoe@cypress.West.Sun.COM (Zoe Friedlander) writes:
   -I read the FAQ on how far apart to have children, and I see that most people
   -suggested wide spacing, though a (very) few seemed to think narrow spacing
   -worked.  In case someone might be going to have two children close together, 
   -like let's say 19 months apart, and feels very anxious after reading that
   -FAQ, could some of you who had kids close together and wouldn't have done 
   -it any other way please e-mail me?

We were going to have ours 21 months apart, intentionally, but Corey
didn't make it.

I've talked to several people who had kids less than 2 years apart.  A
major benefit is that the children have more common interests and are
at closer levels to play together with each other. The major drawback
is that the older one is still pretty needy, the first year is *hard*
work for the parents. Another plus is that the older one doesn't have
many clear memories of what life was like *before* having a sibling.

Now, Kathy and Robin are 2.5 years apart, and I'll say, the first 2-3
months were **hard** work. But I think that a newborn is just lots of
work. Things are getting easier all the time.

I have a friend with 4 kids, the first 3 were a little less than 2
years apart each. (approx current ages: 11, 9, 7, 3). The kids all got
along wonderfully, with almost no rivalry behaviors. The two oldest
have had some times of not liking each other recently.

It seems to me that there are factors that are harder to quantify that
are even more important than spacing. (I was 3 years from my brother,
supposedly recommended spacing according to some, and we *hated* each
other). I think more important is the enviroment, the parenting, how
the parents handle the adjustments and help the older one adjust. I
strongly recommend reading _Siblings Without Rivalry_ by Faber and
Mazlish *before* the baby is born.

-- 

Tigger (Grace Sylvan)                Mom of Katherine Yelena, 8/8/89 &
tigger@satyr.sylvan.com              Robin Gregory born 2/28/92
=======================
I'm a mammal and proud of it!

4 month old Robin weighed 17.5 lbs, 25.5 inches tall, solely breastfed
by 'supermomcow' :-)
From: smergen@luna.dpl.scg.hac.com (Sandra Mergen)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: RE: Otoscopes for home use
Date: 27 Jul 92 19:09:03 GMT


From: lindsay@sesame.lbl.gov (Lindsay Schachinger) writes:

>Has anybody purchased one of these home devices for looking in the
>ear?  Are they worthwhile?  My pediatrician discouraged it, saying  
>we wouldn't really be able to see anything, but if she can, why
>can't we?

My older daughter (22 months) has had 14 ear infections so far. We
have been advised against tubes so far, because she can always 
clear the fluid after each infection, and her ear drums have no
scarring.  She usually gets infections along with a cold.  Right now
we give her Septra when she gets a cold (with our doctor's permission) 
to keep an infection from starting.

When she was around a year old, we bought the otoscope from the
Right Start catalog.  It was $29.  My husband and myself can usually
spot an ear infection pretty well.  When she was getting them very
often, we would look in her ears whenever she seemed fussy.  She
didn't mind us taking a look.  In her ears, the infection appeared
as a red, swollen ear drum.  Sometimes we were able to see fluid
behind the drum, but most of the time, the fluid is hard to see.
We always took her to the doctor, and all but one time, it was
a false alarm.

The doctor sometimes has trouble seeing the fluid, so she will do
a tympanogram (sp?), which checks to see if there's fluid.  Her
otoscope, by the way, sees the eardrum a lot better that my $29 one.

For our 6 month old daughter, I can't get into the ear far enough
to see the ear drum clearly.

One thing to remember with using the otoscope yourself, be very careful
not to poke it in too far.                 

Hope this helps.

Sandy
From: fsacp@acad3.alaska.edu
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Doug Yes I'm Here
Date: 25 Jul 92 01:48:38 GMT
Organization: University of Alaska Fairbanks

Doug,
  Yes I am here.
  Sorry I haven't responded lately and sorry I'm doing it over the net!
I've been busy moving from a 1 bedroom to a 2 bedroom and also
dealing with a Funeral of a close friend last week.

  I forget what you msg said I'm sorry I've just been distracted!
Jay
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: goldberg@eldyn.gsfc.nasa.gov (Patti Twigg)
Subject: Re: Problem hair: Mom's
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Greenbelt, MD, USA
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 18:22:00 GMT

In article <1992Jul23.162828.22189@ttinews.tti.com>, reid@metis.tti.com (Reid Kneeland) writes...
> 
>My hair also began thinning noticably about the time Ellen had Sarah.
> 
>Your hair grew back?  Sorry, I have no sympathy.
> 
>(:-)
> 
>=====================================================================
>Reid Kneeland

ok, ok, but I bet you did not develop stretch marks! They do not
go away. 8-) 8-)
                      Patti Twigg
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: slkg9733@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Steven L. Kellmeyer)
Subject: Re: Why Is Peeing Yucky?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 02:32:46 GMT

soberg@think.com (Stephanie Oberg) writes:

>In article <1992Jul28.141259.28406@random.ccs.northeastern.edu> sgauch@ccs.northeastern.edu (Susan Gauch) writes:
>>
>>Actually, urine is sterile.  One tip I got for treating emergency cuts
>>during camping trips in the wild is to clean them with urine.  

>     I've heard the claim of sterile urine before and don't see how this 
>     could be true.  A person with a urinary tract infection by definition
>     does not have sterile urine.  Schistosomiasis (a parasite) can be
>     transmitted through urine.  Perhaps the urine of a completely healthy
>     person (with no asymptomatic infection) is sterile in the bladder -
>     but how can it avoid being contaminated as it exits the bladder? 


>-- 

>sojourner

Urine in the bladder is sterile.  However, it is also a *WONDERFUL*
growth media for bacteria.  YOu are correct, urine can become contaminated
as it exits the ureter, which is why you are generally given alcohol or
betadyne wipes and asked to clean yourself before providing a urine
for culture and sensitivity.  However, given the general state of 
cleanliness nowadays, this precaution can be bypassed in an emergency.

You are also correct in that bladder or ureter infections are DIAGNOSED
by detecting bacteria in what is supposed to be a sterile fluid.  They
are, by definition, non-sterile in that case.  The only part of your body
that is "naturally" dirty (i.e. non-sterile) besides the surface of your
skin is that long tube that runs through your body (aka the gut and the
openings it makes at either end).  Every other part of your body, and
every secretion they emit, is sterile (sweat is instantly contaminated
of course, but technically still true even for that, ditto phlegm).  

Steve Kellmeyer
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: seanna@bnr.ca (Seanna Watson)
Subject: Re: how to remove rust stains on clothes?
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 15:53:46 GMT

Here is how I remove rust stains:

Take a few tablespoons of table salt, and add lemon juice to make a
thick paste.  Apply the paste liberally to the stained area.  Hold 
the treated stain over boiling water (ie spout of a kettle), and 
you can watch it disappear before your very eyes!  (If it is a con-
centrated stain, you may have to rub it a bit, and repeat the treat-
ment.) (You can also leave it outside in bright sunlight for a few 
hours instead of steaming it, but the steaming works better & faster.)

-- 
Seanna Watson   Bell-Northern Research, 
(seanna@bnr.ca) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Opinions, what opinions?  Oh *these* opinions. | It's hard to seize the
No, they're not BNR's, they're mine.           | day when you must first
I knew I'd left them somewhere.                | grapple with the morning.
From: demartinib@cpva.saic.com
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: D.A.D.s Funny T-Shirt
Date: 28 Jul 92 00:47:47 GMT
Organization: Science Applications Int'l Corp./San Diego

Regarding the Dads Against Diapers T-shirt, there is also a M.O.M version:

M.O.M.

Mission Of Madness

From Here to Maternity!

Both were in the display window at `The Royal Nursery' here in San Diego.
Their # is (619) 450-1317.  

Brenda DeMartini
SAIC
(My first post after a year of lurking.  I hope it works, I'm only an
accountant! :->)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: kapa@cbnewsc.cb.att.com (k.a.perkins)
Subject: Re: Having kids saves money?
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 23:21:45 GMT
Summary: we save lots more, too!

In article <1992Jul13.220848.2397@pony.Ingres.COM>, thall@Ingres.COM (Trevor Hall) writes:
> With the current threads about working -vs- stay-at-home moms and
> expenses, I thought I'd relate our experiences and ask a question.
> 
< thought they would run through savings after wife stayed home
with kids; instead they have more savings than they did before >

> I'm making a little bit more than last year, but on the whole, we
> seem to be spending quite a bit less.
> 
> Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon?  Or should we write a book
> about it?

We have!  I am working 80% time compared to 100% time before our
daughter was born, and my husband is still working full-time.
Maddie is almost 3, and we are saving easily 10% more of our gross
pay than before, maybe as much as 15%.  I have given this some thought
and I account for the change in several ways. 

After Maddie was born, we took 12 months of parental leave, and lived on
one salary, and our spending habits never recovered.  Also, there are
only so many tv's and stereos, so much furniture, so many cars, and
other durable goods than you can have in one household.  One of the
reasons that the US had a boom economy in the 80's and a bust economy in
the 90's is that we baby boomers bought a lot of stuff in the 80's that
didn't wear out yet.  It's true that we buy stuff for Maddie, but
the big ticket stuff (crib, dresser, high chair, bed) are one time
purchases that will be used with the next child.

It is a much bigger hassle to go shopping, out to eat, out to movies,
and on lavish vacations than before, so we don't do those things so
much.  Our focus is more on staying home and doing stuff with family
or with other families with kids.  It doesn't take money to have
fun with kids.

Kate Perkins
From: pfieland@citron.sw.stratus.com (Peggy Fieland)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: vacationing w/o baby
Date: 21 Jul 92 13:40:34 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Software Engineering

We left our oldest, (then) 11 month-old with his grandmother for a week.
He was fine.  We missed him, but we had a nice vacation, too.

Enjoy your vacation!

Peggy
From: lynnf@informix.com (Lynn Felise)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Breastpump FAQ
Date: 28 Jul 92 22:10:23 GMT
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

Well, I think I finally got the Breastpump FAQ put into some kind of
order.  It does need some work but if you would like it please email
me at lynnf@informix.com and I will get it to you.
I will have it until the end of August then will have to pass it
onto someone else... any volunteers?

Lynn

-- 
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%   Lynn M. Felise                                   lynnf@informix.com  %%
%%   Zachary's and ?'s (due Sept. 24th) Mom          Informix Software Inc.%%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
From: judyd@aspen.CNA.TEK.COM (Judy E. Drake)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Alternatives to Spanking?
Date: 30 Jul 92 21:31:43 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Redmond,  OR.

In article <1992Jul29.184517.23401@mdd.comm.mot.com> nelson@mdd.comm.mot.com (Mike Nelson) writes:
>I'm sure looking forward to the tantrum in the busy store scene. 8-(
>
>I think I'll try to ignore it and withstand the onlookers stares.
>
>Is there a better way?

My son (age 3) has never thrown a tantrum in public (thank goodness), 
but I don't understand the philosophy of always ignoring tantrums.  He
throws tantrums when he's tired or hungry or frustrated.  He doesn't
do it to control the situation or me or his dad.  He seems to do it
because he can't help it.  I usually respond by trying to address the
root problem of the behavior--feeding him if he's hungry or getting
him home to bed if he's tired.  If neither of these options is
immediately available, for example, in a store or other public place,
I would try to distract him from his discomfort.  Very rarely have
I ever felt that ignoring his behavior was the right answer, and in
some cases it would have been downright cruel.

Has anyone else had this experience with the tantrum age?

Judy Drake
From: elg@elgamy.sccsi.com (Eric Lee Green)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Am I Forcing Her to Be Left Handed?
Date: 31 Jul 92 00:52:36 GMT
Organization: Eric's Amiga 2000 @ Home

From article <1992Jul29.215344.4775@cgrg.ohio-state.edu>, by frankie@osc.edu (Frankie Harris):
> When I hand my daughter something (a toy, her spoon with food on it so
> she can feed herself, etc.), I use my right hand. I automatically place
> whatever I have into the hand directly across from mine, which would be
> her left hand since she is usually facing me. (Follow that?) In other words,

> So, I am wondering...have I unknowingly been forcing/strongly suggesting/en-
> couraging my daughter to use her left hand over her right? I never really

I'd suggest that you don't worry about it. Left/right dominance seems to be
a hardware issue. I don't think it can easily be overwritten by software
suggestions.

Furthermore, I do not see why you would be upset over it in the first
place. Every single word we say, everything we do, modifies our children in
some way. Since we are imbedded in a culture, usually that modification is
in a culturally-appropriate manner. This is, indeed, a case for Dr. Spock's
"follow your instincts and trust the child" dictum, though not for the
reason that Dr. Spock suggests. Rather, it is because we unconciously every
day modify our children's behavior in some way, usually in a way that
agrees with the responses that we get back from the child and that agrees
with our own conception of how a child should be.

You appear to highly value self-detirmination on the part of your child.
That is to be commended. You will most probably modify your child in a way
where SHE will value self-detirmination. I'd say to you, "trust your
instincts." If you feel that always placing the spoon in the kid's left
hand is too much of a suggestion, change it up. However, I'd suggest that
since you're dubious enough to post the question to the net, your
"instinct" isn't telling you to stop -- it's some thorny intellectual
question that caused the thought.

--
 Eric Lee Green  elg@elgamy.sccsi.com         Dodson Elementary
 (713) 437-6908  uunet!nuchat!elgamy!elg      Houston, TX
                "Kids are kids, no matter what"