You must give some time to your fellow men. Even if it's a little thing, do something for others - something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it. (Albert Schweitzer, 1875 - 1965)

What seems now to have been many years ago, while living a lifestyle of excess and selfishness, this truth of giving was lost on me. It is interesting that a certain catalyst at the right time will change a man. Change did happen, and I've become vastly richer and more rewarded for it, and daily grateful. 

As an officer and member of the Orcutt Lions Club, I learned of the Angels mission at a meeting we had a few years back. I was surprised to hear of the need in our community for safe, stable foster homes for babies, and wanted to do something. So with the help of club members, we started the "Let's Get ME Home!" Starter Kit. (As the new Angels parents get no advance notice or know what age to expect, they cannot prepare certain supplies). The kit contains a car seat, pajamas, outfit, socks, bottles, formula, diapers, etc. to get the new baby to her family with the basics. That way the family can focus on their new little one and not on running to the store to get a pack of diapers. This project has been made possible by many generous and hard working people and donors. (Thank you! You know who you are.)

I was invited to serve on the Board beginning in January 2011. Due to my involvement with Angels over the past three years, I felt strongly about the agency's mission and was happy to say yes. I am pleased to introduce myself, and promise to do all I can to serve Angels Foster Care and you, our supporters, with deliberation and determination. My name is Pete Mueller, and I am honored to have been invited to join with the Board of Directors of Angels Foster Care of Santa Barbara.

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-Pete Mueller, Board of Directors, Angels Foster Care

From the Desk of Your Social Worker

Foster parents...you are always welcome to join Family Fuel Parenting Classes free of charge.

Upcoming:

Love and Logic for Early Childhood, for parents of kids ages 0-6 

April 7, 14, 21, 28: 6:30-9pm

Learn win-win solutions to discipline, control and limits, and alternatives to warnings, threats and time-outs. Strategies for morning and bedtime, chores and stores, siblings and conflict, sharing, potty training and sleep issues.

Location: First Baptist Church, 949 Veronica Springs Rd., Santa Barbara 

To register, call 805.965.FUEL and mention you are a current Angels foster parent and would like to register for the class. Check the full class schedule at www.familyfuel.com. Classes also offered in Santa Maria. 

Advice from Dr. Charish Barry

Charish Barry, MD, is a local pediatric hospitalist with Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and a pediatrician in private practice (www.petitepediatrics.com). She is also a member of the Angels Board of Directors and the local representative for the American Academy of Pediatrics Southern California Chapter. Follow her on Twitter (@petitepeds) to receive her tweets about pediatric health.

American Academy of Pediatrics Issues Advice on Managing Fevers in Children

A fever in a child can be worrying to parents, and is one of the most common reasons parents seek a pediatrician's care. To help pediatricians educate parents and families about fever and "fever phobia," the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued a clinical report, "Fever and Antipyretic Use in Children," published in the March 2011 print issue of Pediatrics (published online Feb. 28).

Fever is a physiological mechanism that has beneficial effects in fighting infection. Although many parents administer antipyretics (medications to reduce a fever) such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to a child to reduce a fever, the report emphasizes that the primary goal should be to help the child feel more comfortable, rather than to maintain a "normal" temperature.

Parents should focus on the general well-being of the child, his/her activity, observing the child for signs of serious illness and maintaining appropriate fluid intake. Parents should not wake up a sleeping child to administer a fever-reducer.

Antipyretics must be stored safely to avoid accidental ingestions. Parents should be aware that the correct dosage is based on the child's weight, and that an accurate measuring device should always be used.

While there is some evidence that combination therapy (alternating doses of ibuprofen and acetaminophen) may be more effective at lowering body temperature, questions remain about whether it is safe and whether it helps children feel more comfortable. Combination therapy also increases the risk of inaccurate dosing.

The Last Word