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  • Helping your kids deal with FCAT stress

    About ten years ago, I had the pleasure of working as a counselor at an Orange County public elementary school. The kids were great, and I really enjoyed counseling them and trying to help them through different challenges that they faced. Throughout my time there, I noticed how much things had changed since I was in elementary school. One of the biggest changes I felt was that it seemed that “Spring Fever” had been replaced with “FCAT Fever”.

  • Summer is coming!

    As a child, those three words thrilled me to no end. As a parent, if I’m being honest, they bring anxiety, stress and frustration. My son attends a local public school. The 2014 summer vacation stretches on from June to August for TEN WEEKS. It’s wonderful for the kids, but for me it means TEN weeks that my husband and I have to arrange to take time off of work, beg family to come babysit, and find suitable summer camp options for our son to attend. My husband and I both work full time, so neither of us are available to be home everyday. It’s not easy.

  • No more heading in youth soccer, but is this enough to keep kids safe?

    Concussions are a hot topic these days, and for good reason.

  • My Child’s Legs Hurt at Night – Is It Growing Pains?

    If your child is experiencing growing pains, the pain is real.

  • Is going "gluten-free" just a fad?

    I remember when my great-aunt Sally came to visit, she would often bring her own bread and a tub of margarine or stick of butter. If we went out to eat to a place like Pizza Hut, she would order a salad with no croutons. When the salad arrived with croutons, she would send it back and have them remake it without them. Aunt Sally had celiac disease; a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine, causing malabsorption of nutrients after a protein called “gluten” is consumed. Even the tiniest crumb of a gluten-containing food caused Aunt Sally a lot pain.

    How common is celiac disease?

    An estimated 1% of the population in the United States has celiac disease, and 97% of those affected by celiac disease are undiagnosed. In Florida, that means approximately 195,000 people have celiac disease, but fewer than 6,000 of them know it. In one study looking at the prevalence of celiac disease in the U.S., 29 of the 35 people found with celiac disease did not know they had it prior to the study. 

  • Arsenic in rice: is it safe?

    Last week, Consumer Reports issued a warning to consumers regarding potentially harmful levels of arsenic found in rice and rice products. The Food and Drug Administration also released preliminary data from an in-depth study which seemed to be in line with those conclusions. But, don’t run to the pantry to purge your home of your favorite cereal just yet.

    What is arsenic?

    Arsenic is a chemical substance found in our environment that can be naturally occurring (due to the erosion of rocks or volcanic eruptions) or can occur due to the use of arsenic-containing pesticides. Low levels of arsenic are found in air, soil and water, which means that it can also be taken up into plants as they grow.

  • How to Talk to Children When a Loved One Is Seriously Ill

    If your family is dealing with the death or serious illness of a loved one, take some time to consider how your children are handling it — and what you can do to help them navigate this confusing, and possibly frightening, time. Children can absorb a great deal, and often imagine the situation to be worse than it is, with studies showing that even preschoolers can be significantly affected. Although discussing a loss with your child won’t make it less painful, you can certainly offer significant support and teach healthy coping skills they will need as they process things. 

  • How To Spot Eating Disorders in Kids and Teens

    Are you sending your kids the right messages about food and body image? Eating disorders are diagnosed not just in teens, but in children younger than 12. So it’s important to teach your kids from an early age to have a healthy relationship with food and positive feelings toward their body.

  • You think your teen is depressed. Now what?

    On , we discussed the statistics behind depression in teens and the warning signs to look for if you think your teen is depressed. Let’s now look at some next steps in getting help for your child.

    Finding help through professionals

    Finding a good mental health professional is like finding any good healthcare provider. Some of them you might like, some you might not. Some of them might have specialties, like working with teens, adults, or couples, so you’ll want to ask questions to make sure this is a person that is likely to be helpful. Look for a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, or a Psychologist.

  • Is It Croup or Whooping Cough?

    It can be frightening to hear your child coughing or struggling to breathe. Both croup and whooping cough can cause these symptoms, but one of these childhood illnesses is much more serious than the other. Determining the cause can be confusing, and waiting too long to seek medical care can cause additional complications.