Dental Health Month is February and I want to get the word out about two catchy educational health songs that teach a dentist song and a song about brushing your teeth.
Kids learn by doing. They will get involved with their whole selves while they sing “I’m Gonna Brush my Teeth”, and “The Dentist is a Good Guy”.
Your kids will experience the joy of learning as they sing a long and move to the music. There are hand movements to the songs but I’m sure you can come up with your own as you listen to the lyrics.
Go to the Music Home tab and download your dental health month songs today and get those kids rocking and brushing. Have a great February….Ms. Dawn, The Singing Nurse
Just a quick up-date on The Singing Nurse Lesson Plan Book that is coming soon…A great resource to teach healthy habits by learning how to prevent the spread of disease and more. This resource will educate your children beyond their years.
I’m excited that the lesson plan book is being proof read and almost ready for printing and a PDF form will also be available. It contains fun engaging activities for young children preschool to early elementary. The lessons incorporate The Singing Nurse health songs, craft ideas, educational games, parent notes, links, awesome multimedia ideas and great resources.
I have gathered helpful info regarding streptococcus pyogenes the bacteria responsible for Strep Throat. I have organized these nuggets in simple form from the trustworthy websites of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), WebMD and KidsHealth. Strep Throat is another reason for frequent hand washing. Hand washing is the most important action we can take to prevent the spread of germs. Please share this information with your families, friends, parents and children.
Strep throat is most common in school-age children and where large groups gather together.
Strep likes to live in the throat and nose, that is why sneezing and coughing spreads strep.
Strep is also spread through droplets, so breathing, talking and singing can spread Strep. (I had to add this, so please don’t attend your next choral practice if you have strep throat)
Some people can carry Strep to you but not seem ill.
Objects and direct contact like handshakes can also carry the Strep bacteria.
All of the above are a good reasons not to touch your nose, eyes or mouth with your hands after gathering with a bunch of people.
It takes 2 to 5 days for Strep symptoms to appear after you are exposed.
Symptoms:
Sudden sore throat pain, difficulty swallowing, fever, stomachache, white, red or yellow patches on the throat, swollen neck glands, red large tonsils, headache, and rash.
Diagnosis and Treatment:
Doctors may perform a rapid strep test which will confirm strep in about 5 mins. If you have all the likely symptoms but the rapid test comes up negative, they will do a throat culture which take a few days to receive the results.
Strep is treated with antibiotics prescribed by your doctor, usually for 10 days.
Usually after 24 hours of antibiotics, you are no longer contagious.
Antibiotics help to shorten the amount of days that Strep is contagious to others besides curing the Strep.
If Strep is untreated you will be contagious for about 21 days.
Medically fragile people are the most susceptible to other health problems and untreated Strep may move to other parts of the body.
Complication of Strep:
Rarely: otitis media (ear infection), sinus infections,
Rarer: other throat and neck infections, abscesses, blood infections, even toxic shock syndrome.
Complications because of the immune system: rheumatic fever (which affects the heart), inflammation of the kidneys or complication of children with neurological disorders.
Prevention and Summary
Wash your hands
Use tissues instead of handkerchiefs
Don’t drink or eat from the same utensils of others.
Make sure you get enough rest, don’t get run down.
Moisten the air you breathe, dry nostrils are better targets for bacteria.
Change your toothbrush when you are ill and after you are ill.
Stay away for sick people, and if you are ill, stay away from healthy people and people with fragile health.
Take the whole prescription your doctor has ordered. If you only take part, it will cause the infection to come back stronger, one of the reasons we have antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Please: If you have any questions as to the safety and well being of anyone you care for, please call your doctor or call 911. It is always better to ask.
Have a great school year, stay healthy and active, be kind to your neighbor and don’t go to school, work or large gatherings when you are ill. And remember, when in doubt check it out, and… wash your hands.
I have gleaned some interesting tidbits about the rhinovirus from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), WebMD, KidsHealth and the nanobugs website. The common cold also known as the Rhinovirus is probably the number one reason for frequent hand washing. I hope you will be encouraged, educated and awed as I was by the more recent discoveries of the Rhinovirus (rhino means “nose”). Please share this information with your families, friends and classroom.
Interesting observances
The average child will catch a cold 8-10 times by the age of 2 and more so if they hang around with other kids. Chances just increase by association for children and adults who care for them. Most of us catch 3 to 4 colds a year.
The number one reason for visits to the pediatrician and missing school is the common cold.
Experts say autumn and spring are common times of year to catch colds, while others say winter is the prime time because we are inside and the viruses stay inside as well.
The time it takes to become ill from the time you were exposed (incubation period) to a rhinovirus, is about 2 to 3 days.
The researchers used to believe we had about 100 different rhinoviruses to contend with, but more recently cold expert Owen Hendley, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville says “It’s beginning to look as if there may be as many as 200”. This is another reason colds are common.
Research has also shown that along with coughs and sneezes that send the virus droplets into the air, we are more likely to get the virus from things and surfaces. Think: phone, doorknob, remote control, shopping cart, desk and toys. The virus can live up to 24 hours or more on a surface.
Droplets from coughs and sneezes can spread to a distance of 12 feet.
The entry points for the virus are the nose, eyes and mouth, less so by mouth as once thought, for Dr. Hendley says, “Substances in saliva quickly destroy the virus.”
Washing our hands is still the best practice; alcohol rinses are good for flu viruses but not as effective against the rhinovirus. Good old H20, soap and friction is best for preventing the spread of the cold virus.
Carnegie Mellon University researchers discovered those who were more rested (8 or more hrs of sleep) had less chances of catching a cold, while those with less than 7 hrs sleep were 3 times more likely to become ill from exposure to the rhinovirus.
The same research team discovered people who were happy, lively and calm fought off cold and flu viruses better than those who were anxious, hostile and depressed. I guess the proverb is still true, “a merry heart does good like a medicine”.
Being in a dry environment, being a smoker or being around a smoker increases our chances of catching colds and also resulting in more complications like bronchitis and pneumonia.
Signs and Symptoms in multiple combinations:
Runny nose, cough, sneezing, headache, sore throat, mild fever, fatigue, muscle aches or loss of appetite are the most common signs of a cold.
Things to Remember
Cover your cough or sneeze, do it into your elbow, shoulder or tissue.
If you cough or sneeze into your hands, or blow your nose, wash your hands.
Don’t share items with others: towels, toothbrushes, drinks, fork, spoon etc.
When in doubt as to which medicines or products can be used on children, always consult your pediatrician. Try and get your pediatricians advice about caring for a child with a cold before they get one.
Drink plenty of fluids, do not drink caffeinated drinks as they cause frequent urination and may cause dehydration especially in children.
If you observe any severe symptoms of: coughing, breathing difficulty, turning blue, high fevers, severe pain of any kind, the safest practice is to; “when in doubt, check it out,” with your health care professional of course or call 911.
Be an example by washing hands as mentioned, covering your cough and sneezes to be kind to your neighbor. And remember, to not put your hands in your nose, eyes or mouth without washing them first.
Have a ongoing matter of fact conversation with your children throughout your day like; “oops, I coughed in my hands, I’m going to go and wash these germs down the drain” or ” wow, so glad I sneezed in my should (right after you have done it) because I don’t want you to get my germs.” Or “I’m going to wash my hands because we just went shopping and we are touching things that lots of people touched, they could be sick and this will help keep us healthy.”
Make hand washing fun, kids love to play in water, make it a teachable moment, make up a song about washing those germs down the drain or sing a song you know about hand washing.
Five Dollar Friday with The Singing Nurse health songs for healthy living.
Hi,
Thanks for your curiosity about The Singing Nurse music. I’m trying to get the word out about my fun upbeat songs for kids, young children, preschoolers, teachers, health care workers and parents.
Twitter has follow fridays so I thought I would have a Five Dollar Friday to make my whole downloadable album available @ that price of course.
Most of my songs on this CD are health related but there are a couple inspirational songs.
Parents, children and professionals who work with children enjoy my songs and I hope you will take advantage of one of my occassion Five Dollar Friday. If you like what you hear, please get the word out to your friends and contacts.
Most people don’t know this, but you can also embed my bandbox player on your website so all your visitors can check out and purchase TSN songs.
Appreciate You, Have a Great Week-End and Stay Healthy.
Speaking of Germs: Does anyone know the name of the flu that is going around right now? It’s a lot like the seasonal influenza. H1N1, some call it Swine flu because it is a lot like the germ/virus that gets the pigs sick, but you cannot get it from a pig, you get it from people.
H1N1 is another good reason for washing our hands. Hand washing is the number one action we can take to help get rid of germs which also helps prevent contagious diseases.
Signs & Symptoms of H1N1-fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, H/A, chills, fatigue, some diarrhea/vomiting.
How is it spread? Touching the germs, a cough, a sneeze (use a spray bottle to demonstrate germs flying around)
What should we do? Wash our hands often, or use hand sanitizer (alcohol based) stay home when sick & when you have a fever (24hr free), stay away from sick people, cough/sneeze in your shoulder or a tissue, don’t touch your eyes, mouth, nose, keep counters clean of germs in your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and clean children’s toys (virus lives 2-8hrs on objects)
Call the Doctor if you have ?’s.
Bad for: frail people, diabetics, people w asthma, heart disease, people w kidney disease, real old people, real young children, pregnant women.
Vaccine is available to help prevent from getting H1N1 or lessens how bad it can get.
Medicine is available to those who are frail and may need to go to the hospital. Antiviral medication helps stop the virus.
Call the Doctor when you have questions:
Call 911 if: short of breath and having a hard time breathing, color looks bad (bluish), not drinking fluid, fever w rash, bad pain, really sick
Teaching children and parents about good health habits is important, and learning with music is fun and effective. Try using “Rubba Dub Dub or Don’t Spread Your Germs Around” to present your good hygiene health habit lesson to your young children and their families.
I decided if I was going to finish my lesson plan book, I better create my own pic props for the teachers, parents and health professionals who will use The Singing Nurse health lesson plan book. I want to avoid the copyright problems which would prolong finishing the health lesson book while waiting on granted permissions, so here I go.
P.S. If you’d like to be notified when The Singing Nurse Lesson Plan book, which coincides with my health songs is complete, sign up @ my contact page and put Lesson Plan Book in the subject.
I will tell you what I learn from my Bamboo travels. Today I used the BFP with my simple Paint Program.
#1 don’t leave the pen on the drawing pad if you want to use your hands on you laptop cursor pad. They get mixed up and compete for control. Not good!
Today I learned how to crop my carrot, as you can see above I have a large amount of white surrounding my carrot. I added some eyes and a smiling mouth because carrots are good for our teeth and make them happy.
#2 I am still using a simple paint program. To crop your pic, right click on your picture, click on edit, click on crop, move the brackets to make the space around your subject close to the edges, click ok, and save. I’m so thankful for my kids whoteach me a lot. They are my human computer GPS’.I also drew some broccoli and an apple today which are all good for our teeth. Check out the health songs on the music page, catchy and fun for the whole family.
I was curious as to the effectiveness of power toothbrushes so I decided to inquire and try one. I purchased an Oral B battery powered one for 6.99 which has the Cross Action. I’ve decided as a newbie this was a good place to start. I’ve used it for a week or so and still adjusting to the extra drool that is running down on to my hand. Maybe the positive experience is making me brush longer so more is accumulating.
I remember working with a quadriplegic patient who was quite satisfied with his power toothbrush. He had great teeth and flossed regularly as well. We were reminded often to turn the brush off before removing it from his mouth, as you have guessed, to prevent the shower that was sure to occur.
During my inquiry, two power brushes seem to stand above all others, the Sonicare and the Braun. The Sonicare is made by Philips while the Braun is made by Oral B.
One of the reasons I have learned that the electric brushes are effective is because most people will brush longer with an electric toothbrush. It is recommended that we brush for 2 minutes. Studies have shown manual brushers tend to brush less than 2 minutes.
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Dr. Neda who is a periodontist, prefers the sonicare power toothbrush because it makes her teeth feel clean. She feels that the battery operated toothbrush I purchased would be equal to a manual toothbrush.
Lee, office manager for Dr. Lomangino and Dr. Soltis’ office preferred the Sonicare over the Braun, but felt the Braun was a better choice because of the ease of cleaning and the cost of toothbrush replacements.
Tina, my Dental Hygienist who cleans my teeth, felt the battery powered toothbrush would do a better job than a manual toothbrush. She stated the Sonicare power brush was a great product but uses a manual toothbrush herself. Tina also says to let the power toothbrushes do the work and not press too hard.
Dr. Soltis believes you should use “whatever makes you happy”. Brushing your teeth should be a positive experience and if you enjoy it you will do a better job. He stated that a power brush would be helpful for someone who has limited hand movement. Dr. Soltis prefers the good old fashion manual toothbrush.
All my dental health professional friends agree flossing should be equally important to our daily dental care routines.
♥ Points to remember:
♥ Brush your teeth for 2 minutes ♥ Floss your teeth ♥ Visit your dentist regularly
Please leave a comment: We’d love for you to join the conversation and let us know what method of brushing you use and why you like it. There are many great sites in cyberspace that provide a wealth of information for families and children. If you are a teacher of preschoolers or young children we’d like to learn about the resource you may have that teach good dental habits.
Below is a quote from Sonicare’s website, visit their site for more information and products.
“Sonicare’s patented sonic technology is proven to be powerfully effective, yet remarkably gentle. It generates high amplitude and high frequency bristle motion, creating dynamic cleaning action that drives fluid forces deep into interproximal spaces and along the gum line. The result is a superior clean that you can see and your patients can feel.
Sonicare believes in innovative technologies and products designed around the people who use them.”
Below are excerpts from the Oral B website, check their site for complete information and products.
Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush: Generally rich in technology and features, electric toothbrushes provide the many oral health benefits. Some can even enable you to improve your brushing habits. Hi-tech features include:
Numerous brushing modes specialized for sensitive teeth, whitening benefits or gum-massaging action
Pressure sensors to signal when you’re brushing too hard
Timers to help you keep track of how long you’re brushing each quadrant of your mouth
Digital reminders to replace your brush head
Oscillating-rotating or sonic technology
Multiple brush head compatibility so you can choose which kind of bristle design you prefer
Most electric toothbrushes also come with features for added convenience, like a brush head or toothbrush holder, bathroom-counter storage units and travel toothbrush chargers.Regular Manual Toothbrush: While ordinary toothbrushes don’t nearly provide the benefits and features of rechargeable electric toothbrushes, the technology featured in their brush heads, bristles and handle designs can be quite advanced, for example:
Crisscrossed, extra-long or multi-level bristles
Polished or rounded bristle tips
Textured bristles
Cupped-bristle design for whitening benefits
Ergonomically designed handles with special grips
Tapered or angled brush head
Gum stimulators
Tongue cleaner pads
Battery Power Toothbrush: While similar in features to regular manual toothbrushes, these kinds of toothbrushes also vibrate to provide additional cleaning action. In addition to those of manual toothbrushes, features include:
Built-in AA battery that can be replaced in some models
“On/Off” or “+/-“ button located on the handle
Bristles or split brush heads specially designed to pulsate along with the vibrations
Modifying Brushing TechniqueProper brushing technique varies when using different kinds of toothbrushes. Both regular manual toothbrushes and battery power toothbrushes require you to provide all or most of the brushing action, moving the brush back and forth along all sides of your teeth and gums. In contrast, rechargeable electric toothbrushes provide the cleaning action while you need only guide it along all surfaces. Once they get the hang of it, many people find this method of brushing easier.
Remember to leave a comment:We’d love for you to join the conversation a let us know what method of brushing you use and why you like it.
I discovered a delightful YouTube channel yesterday dedicated to babies and how to care for them. Well actually, Babies411 contacted me because Diba the owner Stumbled upon The Singing Nurse and found my YouTube channel. Diba said “Your site is great, really cute songs.” thanks Diba.
Diba is a fellow registered nurse and has created the informational hands on baby care vids for the Babies411 channel. Babies411 has created an array of vids to watch that will help you with all your “how to care for baby” needs.
There are videos about changing, feeding, burping, taking a temp and breast feeding which are great for the first time mom and those who need a refresher course. One vid I particularly enjoyed was the demonstration on how to make homemade baby wipes, who doesn’t want to save money and have the peace of mind that the finest ingredient are wiping our babies little bottom. Check it out Here!
Since all of these vids are about caring for beautiful babies, I have included my own “Babies are Beautiful” vids that features my first grandbaby, who is singing with grandma by the way, really, he is singing, you will hear him loud and clear. Listen how he jabbers while I touch his face, point to various body parts and pat his tummy.
UPDATE: 2021 latest “Babies Are Beautiful” with some of my doodling!
Babies love and thrive on the interaction with the adults in their lives. Remember the study that claimed how much babies depend on our touch, cooing and care. Some of the babies in the study died who only received the basic care of changing and feeding. Babies have died without adult affection and nurturing.
We have such an awesome and important job of caring for our most “fragile” and “helpless” little ones. Raising my own three children have been some of the best years of my life for certain.
Moms (and dads too) please be encouraged, you and the adult care givers you choose are unbelievably important and valuable in your baby’s life. Thanks to Babies411, there is a knowledgeable resource to help us give our babies, our best care.
“Babies are fragile, we have to treat them gently, babies are helpless, we have to treat them kind.”
The Singing Nurse and Babie411 are now connected via twitter and our YouTube channels. Check us out @
Hand washing for good health, how many interesting and enticing ways can we share, show and encourage each other to “just do it”, and teach our highly observant and ever emerging preschoolers to follow in our footsteps.
Doing what is takes to teach the point!
This handwashing post is dedicated to those feisty energetic preschool teachers, who I happen to believe are some of the most creative bunch of gals on the planet. Most of us are women who work in early childhood because, who else has the patience, and delights in hanging out with a gang of wiggly equally energetic three and four year olds.
My experience working with preschoolers developed while being a mother of three, teaching Sunday school, being a teacher assistant for emotionally disturbed children, and then later, as a nurse and then “the singing nurse”.
The task of hand washing became necessary not only as a mother washing off mud pie and finger paints, but also as a Head Start Nurse. You might be familiar with this program that helps low income families learn all they can about parenting, raising healthy children, leadership and setting goals for themselves. The staff’s job was to discover anything that may hinder the child’s growth in all aspects, be it emotional or health issues, hearing or vision difficulties or the spotting of a potential learning disability.
We worked as a team and were privileged to be part of their developing lives, to give them a “Head Start” before Kindergarten. We worked not only with the children, but with the whole family unit. We take for granted the skills we’ve learned from our parents like, being encouraging, sitting and reading a book with our child, cooking a meal together and gathering as a family to eat it. It was part of the Head Start program to teach and model these family values.
The Rubba Dub Dub Baby
Oh yes, hand washing, just a slight sidetrack and bit of knowledge about the path I’ve been on. So, how does this all tie together? I am a musician as well as a nurse, so I decided to write some health songs while I was working in early childhood development. Who can vouch for the fact that we all write and sing little songs for every purpose while working with preschool children? The common adventures and sometimes scary situations preschoolers encounter in school and with medical professionals gave me the spark to write songs like; I’m Gonna Brush My Teeth, The Dentist is a Good Guy, Don’t Spread Your Germs Around, The Audiologist, The Tick Song, and Babies Are Beautiful.
One health song in particular is a hand washing song forpreschoolers called “Rubba Dub Dub”. The tune is an echo song, it is easy to sing, the hand motions are simple, it’s tested and true and the kids love the lively beat. I was blessed by my daughter Hannah who created an animation of my song as a Christmas gift.
We have our favorite fun filledhand washing animation and lesson planwith activities and discussion points that integrates my hand washing song. The simple to use health lesson is complete with a germ game and several project options, lyrics with hand motions and more.
“Rubba Dub, Dub”, as well as other health tunes can bedownloadedat the Music for Children page. Check it all out, sign up via my contact page to receive news when my animated dental song is complete.
Thanks to a new friend Deborah Stewart who encouraged me to reach out to her circle of early childhood educatorswith my educational health songs. I found her and her website,Teach Preschoolvia twitter.
Cheers to competent, innovative preschool teachers. Lead by example and they will follow!
For Healthy Kids, Dawn Ginese, The Singing Nurse
Choose to educate your little ones it’s fun, easy and saves you time. Less than a coffee and bagel from your favorite coffee shop.
**To order just the “Rubba Dub Dub” song with Hand washing lesson and animation click Here, or to order the 1 & 4 combo of “Rubba Dub Dub” and “Don’t Spread Your Germs Around” songs and lessons click Here.
Dental Health Month is February and I want to get the word out about two catchy educational health songs that teach a dentist song and a song about brushing your teeth. 
click to: Listen and Download the Songs
