Safety

Protecting and maintaining children’s health and well-being is the number one priority on every parent’s list. Childhood immunization is one weapon that helps prevent our children from getting devastating diseases like meningitis, pneumonia and polio. However, navigating the immunization process while living in another country or moving between countries can seem like a daunting process.

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In Beijing, we discuss food safety with the zeal of hardened sports fans. Every week seems to bring some fresh scandal about the things we eat and the products we use. But what about the dangers that lurk in our homes? One of the biggest culprits is the kitchen. For example, did you know that kitchen sinks are dirtier than public bathrooms? With that in mind, here’s how to thwart eight common food-borne illnesses.   

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As a nutritionist, one of the questions I get asked the most around this time of year is how to lose those few extra pounds (or, in some cases, kilograms) put on over the holidays. And this year, as with every year, the perpetual discussion about fad diets and quick weight loss programs is back in full force. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had friends ask me about the cabbage soup diet, the South Beach diet, the HCG diet, and the Hollywood diet. Some of these are simply strange and unsustainable – no one can (or should) eat just cabbage soup for any prolonged period of time – while others, like the HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin hormone) diet are unproven and even quite possibly dangerous.

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Holiday travels peak during festive periods. With the Lunar New Year around the corner, overseas assignees are making their way back to their hometowns to celebrate with their families while leisure travelers are departing for their holiday destinations. Some are also taking advantage of the long holiday to catch up with their loved ones based overseas. With so many travelers on the road, there is an increased chance that plans, schedules, and travels can go awry. 

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Slate is on fire this month! Hot on the heels of a feature about C-sections, the magazine published a story called “The truth about epidurals” last Wednesday. Author Melinda Wenner Moyer says that women face a slew of conflicting statements when it comes to epidurals. On one hand, the injections contribute to “the over-medicalization of motherhood.” On the other, pregnant women must face the prospect of squeezing “a head the size of a grapefruit through [their] much-smaller-than-a-grapefruit-sized vagina.” What’s a smart, informed, and totally not panicked future mom to do?

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In a Slate article called “Cesarean Nation: Why do nearly half of Chinese women deliver babies via C-section?”, author and journalist Mara Hvistendahl looks at the reasons behind China’s skyrocketing cesarean rates. Between 2007 and 2008, a whopping 46 percent of Chinese babies were born via C-section – the highest documented rate in the world. This number is three times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended 15 percent threshold.

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As 2011 draws to a close, it’s time to look back and take stock of the good, the bad, and the ugly. The Year of the Rabbit was marred by concerns about health and safety issues like air pollution, recycled oil, child kidnappings, and ongoing milk woes. In pop culture, we puzzled over “Tofuboy,” steamed over self-hating Eurasians, scared ourselves silly with Chinese ghosts, poked fun at tiger moms, and had a good laugh over their kids’ wily responses. On the bright side, we covered children’s charities, welcomed many new faces, expanded our definition of “family,” and put on a bunch of fun events for Halloween, the holiday season, third culture kids, and more.

But what were the top draws of 2011, the newsmakers and reviews that most tickled, enraged, worried, and touched beijingkids readers? Without further ado, we present to you the top 10 blog posts of 2011. Thanks for reading!

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A brief, but alarming notice on The Global Times warned against thieves on the subway. The pickpockets target young women listening to music and usually operate on platforms or escalators on Line 1. The brief caught my attention because I fit the target victims’ description to a tee, but anyone is at risk. Now that the holidays are in full swing, it may be time to take a refresher course on Anti-Thievery 101.

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On the afternoon of December 12, a school bus in Feng County, Jiangsu Province rolled over into aditch almost 2ft in depth. Apparently, it swerved to avoid hitting a bicycle cart. Fifteen students died in the accident, and eight are still in the hospital.

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Another week, another abysmal stretch of weather ... Greenpeace's East Asia site has a jarring infographic that breaks down exactly what it is that we are inhaling during these heavily polluted days - namely PM2.5, short for particles less than 2.5 millimeters in size ("approximately 1/30th the width of human hair") that is primarily created by factory emissions, burning wood and coal and can cause a whole range of serious health issues ranging from respiratory ailments and heart disease to blood coagulation problems and low birth weight in babies.

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