Todd Inman, MD Todd Inman, MD, is located in Suite 215, Vista Medical Terrace, Sparks. For more information, please call 356-1818.

Dear Doctor:
I have two active children, ages three and six, and it seems as if summertime can be the most accident-prone time of year for kids. What are the most important things I can do to keep them safe?

Todd Inman, MD, family practitioner
It only takes a second for an accident to happen, but the harm done can last much longer. So do all you can to prevent accidents. Here are a few basic safety rules:

• Don't leave kids unsupervised, especially when they are outside, near the street, or near or in water. More than 4,000 people drown every year, and children up to age four are the most vulnerable. If you have a swimming pool, fence it in, install self-closing gates leading to it and put toys away from curious eyes when not in use. For added protection, install a cover that prevents access to the water.
• Make sure your children wear helmets when bicycling or when playing sports such as baseball or football. About 800 bicyclists die each year in crashes involving motor vehicles, according to the National Safety Council. A head injury often results in irreversible brain damage. Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk for head injury by 85 percent. Enforce strict rules -- no helmet, no playing the sport or biking.
• Summertime means vacations, but not a vacation from using car seats. Auto accidents kill and injure more children in the United States than any other type of injury. Using a child safety seat can reduce the risk for fatal injury by 71 percent in children younger than one. Protect your children by placing them in a car seat appropriate for their weight and height. Once they have outgrown car seats, children should sit in a booster seat until they're big enough to use a seat belt. Read the directions carefully so you install and use the seat properly -- almost 80 percent are not. Most crashes are head-on, so always put kids in the backseat and in the safest place, the middle of the row. If a child must ride in the front seat, the air bag should be turned off. For more information, please visit www.carseat.org.

Mohsen Tamasaby, MD Mohsen Tamasaby, MD, with Triangle Family Medicine, is in Suite 309, Sparks Medical Building. For more information, please call 331-6400.

Mohsen Tamasaby, MD, family practitioner
Not everyone's nutritional needs are identical. As we age, our bodies and metabolisms change. Although older adults still need plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and fiber, they need to add or subtract a few things from the diets they followed earlier in life.

Older people have decreased taste and absorption. They need to make sure they get enough water and nutrients, even if they must take supplements to get them. Although we all should drink eight glasses of water a day, it's critical for older adults to factor in water because they have decreased kidney function and may not feel thirsty.

Adequate water intake helps avoid constipation. Older adults' digestive tracts don't work as effectively as when they were younger, and many older adults have dental problems that keep them from eating as much fiber as they need. Fiber also helps prevent constipation.

Research suggests that many problems associated with the aging process can be slowed with a good diet, meaning lower-fat foods and a variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Fruits and vegetables are a real plus for seniors because they are lower in calories than other foods, yet high in nutrients and fiber. If you have trouble chewing, you might not be able to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Instead, you might try fruit juices or canned fruits such as peaches or pears and vegetable juices or cooked and mashed vegetables.

Please visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Web site at www.mypyramid.gov to find daily caloric needs tailored to your age, gender and level of physical activity.

Northern Nevada Medical Center 2375 E. Prater Way, Sparks, NV 89434 775-331-7000