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  • What we do now may affect our future children’s genetics

    We are all aware that mothers who smoke while they are pregnant run a higher risk of having children who are premature, smaller than they should be, or stillborn. This is likely due to reduced oxygen supply to the baby through mom’s diseased body and to toxins shared by mom with baby. We also know that children who are exposed to second-hand smoke have a higher risk of developing respiratory diseases like asthma, chronic lung disease and even cancer due to direct lung damage from inhaled smoke.

    What you do with your body early in life can affect future generations

    But recent data suggests that a father’s behavior even years prior to conception may affect the health of his children and future generations. For example, early paternal smoking has been associated with increased body mass in children. Paternal alcoholism has been associated with smaller birth weights in babies, and hyperactivity in children. Most recently, smoking even early in life has been found to be associated with an increased risk of certain forms of asthma in a man’s children. A study which was recently presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress looked at 13,000 men and women and found that non-allergic asthma was significantly more common in children whose fathers smoked before the age of 15. In addition, the longer the father smoked, the higher the risk of his child having this kind of asthma. Interestingly, the same link was not found in children whose mothers smoked before they conceived.

  • What's your food allergy IQ?

    When my daughter was younger, she started attending a Mom’s day out program. When we attended orientation, the school informed us that they are a “peanut-free” school. That means, when packing lunches, we are to avoid all peanut products for all of the children. This is my first foray into the world of school lunches, and I have to admit, I was a bit annoyed. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a staple food in our house. It is my go-to, in-a-hurry food choice. If my child isn’t allergic, shouldn’t I be able to give it to her?

  • Giving back to the hospital that changed our lives

    Written by Heather Shields

  • A survivor of childhood cancer, 25 years later: Nessa’s story

    Twenty-five years ago in September of 1988, Nessa’s life was forever changed by words that weren’t talked about much back then: childhood cancer. After finding bumps on Nessa’s head and swollen lymph nodes, her mom knew something wasn’t right. After a trip to the pediatrician’s office, they were told to go to Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) to see Dr. Vincent Guisti, a pediatric oncologist, to find out what might be causing these symptoms. Since the visit required an overnight bag, Nessa’s mom, Carol, knew it wasn’t what she’d first suspected – it was something much more serious.

    Receiving a heart-wrenching diagnosis

    Nessa was eight years old and in the third grade at a local elementary school. That day was picture day- a day that many girls prepare for by selecting their best school outfit and making sure their hair looks just right. As her mom was combing Nessa’s hair, she noticed little bumps on her head, and Nessa had been saying she wasn’t feeling well. The next morning, Carol knew something wasn’t right after Nessa woke up with swollen lymph nodes. Thinking it might be a case of mononucleosis, they visited the family’s pediatrician, where they were told to go to ORMC to see Dr. Guisti, a pediatric oncologist.

  • How I’m teaching my child to treat others with special needs

    I was with my two kids recently at an indoor play place when a teaching moment happened upon us. We saw a little boy there with his mom, and he was sitting in a wheelchair. My 4-year-old looked at him curiously and then asked (in a rather loud voice), “Mom, why is he sitting in that chair instead of walking?”

  • The HPV Vaccine: Questions, Facts, and Misconceptions

    What is HPV?

    HPV stands for human papillomavirus, and these viruses are the most common sexually transmitted viruses in the United States. Most of the people who are diagnosed with HPV are young and sexually active. The rates of HPV infection are high because most people who have HPV do not know they are infected because sometimes the virus shows no symptoms. Most HPV infections show no symptoms, and resolve within two years. However, there are many different strains of the HPV virus, and there are high-risk strains (HPV types 16 and 18) that are associated with cervical, anal, mouth, and throat cancers.

    What is the HPV vaccine?

    The HPV vaccine is a vaccine that can help protect your child against the high-risk forms of HPV that can cause cancer. It does not protect against every HPV strain (since there are more than 100), only 4 high-risk strains of HPV. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that girls AND boys receive the vaccine starting at ages 11-12. The vaccine is given three times over a period of six months. To receive the maximum amount of protection, your preteen should receive all three doses. The HPV vaccine can be given at the same time as other vaccines.

    Why should my child start receiving the HPV vaccine now? She’s so young!

    Many parents ask this question, because they are unsure about giving their preteen a vaccine that protects them against a sexually transmitted infection when he or she is not engaging in sexual activity. Parents will ask if the vaccine can be delayed until their child decides to start having sex. HPV vaccines offer the maximum amount of protection for your child when they are given in all three doses BEFORE your child begins to have any sexual activity with somebody else. One study has shown that almost 80% of infected teenagers have contracted HPV within 2 to 3 years of the first time they engaged in sexual activity.

  • Are we parenting from the rear view mirror?

    Over the past couple of weeks, the back-to-school rush has been in full swing. New schools, new milestones, new sports activities- it’s the beginning of lots of new things for our kiddos and for us as parents. My Facebook feed has been filled with first-day-of-school photos displayed by proud parents (me included). But, along with those proud and joyful moments, there’s often a hint of bittersweet regret. Our kids are growing up too fast. Where did the time go? They aren’t babies anymore. I hear and see those phrases a lot.

  • A miraculous first year: Myles’ story

    Written by Katie Murillo

  • Blessed with tiny treasures: Carson and Kendall’s story

    Written by Heather Shields

  • What happens when we compare our child’s illness to another?

    Recently, a friend shared with me a book whose title and premise really upset her. She is the mother of a cancer survivor and friend to many cancer patients, and the title of the book offended her to the core. It’s called, “I wish my kids had cancer: a family surviving the autism epidemic.” I hesitated even to share the title of the book because it elicits such strong emotions, even to those of us who’ve never read the book. And, I’m not sure that this book deserves the attention we’ve given it, good or bad.