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  • Kids should sleep in. Schools should start later, say pediatricians

    If you have a middle or high school student in your home, you may have noticed that their sleep habits have changed as they’ve entered adolescence. They stay up late, find it hard to get up early in the morning and struggle with sleepiness throughout the day. Take heart. It’s not that your kid is being lazy or rebellious. There are real, biological changes happening in their bodies as they mature that make getting enough quality sleep a real challenge.

  • Preparing your child for surgery

    Hearing that your child needs surgery is difficult for many families to digest, and can often result in increased stress and anxiety leading up to surgery day. For many parents and children, the fear of the unknown leaves them with many questions relating to the preparation for surgery, the surgery procedure, and recovery after surgery. Sometimes for children, the unknown is their best coping tool in preparation for surgery as they think, “If I don’t know the details of the surgery, then I don’t have to think about it and therefore it won’t happen.” For many children and parents alike, denial and avoidance is a common stress relief tactic. However, the child is probably thinking about surgery day as he/she overhears conversations between adults about the surgery, and is likely picking up on their parent’s stress. The child has also been going to doctors’ appointments that are necessary before surgery, making it that much more real to the child. Knowing what to expect on surgery day can actually help ease those feelings of stress and anxiety, and help to eliminate misconceptions that the child may be envisioning.

    How do we help ease a child’s fears of surgery at Arnold Palmer Hospital?

    At Arnold Palmer Hospital, we offer a free, educational program called Project P.L.A.Y., which is designed to help your child understand what to expect before surgery and during their hospital stay. The program is led by a child life specialist who will walk your child, siblings, and you through what to expect leading up to surgery, as well as what to expect after surgery.

    What does the program entail?

    For younger children, our child life specialists use a teaching doll to explain what’s going to happen before and after surgery – all on an age-appropriate level. This can include things such as: IVs, catheter, and any other tubes or medical items they may see on their bodies before or after the procedure. They also show the child what an anesthesia mask looks like and explains that “sleepy medicine” helps them so they won’t feel anything during surgery.

  • One little boy's journey through the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Winnie Palmer Hospital: Dylan's story

    This story was written by Candace Forrest, mom to Dylan

  • What is a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)?

    If you’ve ever felt a little confused about what exactly midwives do, or how they’re different than other healthcare professionals, don’t worry! Between physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and certified nurse-midwives, there’s a lot to keep straight.

  • Does consuming your own placenta after childbirth deliver the benefits some celebrities claim?

    Are you aware of the latest trend in childbirth? Several Hollywood celebrities have claimed recently that consuming their own placenta after the birth of their child was wildly beneficial to their health. Just how was it beneficial to their health? The claimed benefits include: improved iron levels, hormone levels, lactation, sleep, energy, reduced postpartum bleeding, and a reduction in the “postpartum blues,” a self-limiting form of depression. This practice has been observed in other mammals and human cultures, giving those who advocate this trend a reason to believe in such benefits.

    What exactly is placentophagy?

    First, let’s discuss the role of the placenta. The placenta is an organ made from the cells of the embryo, which supplies the fetus with all of the necessary elements to grow and develop. It is essentially the fetus’s source of nutrition, respiration, protection, and most function for 280 days during pregnancy, as well as during labor and delivery.

  • Follow us on Pinterest for pinspired holiday activities for kids

    In the midst of this Holiday season, get your family ready for some Christmas pinspiration! Yes, pinsperation. Our “Holiday Fun” Pinterest board has inspired us to share with our readers some fun ideas for Christmas crafts, activities, and munchies this year. So, put on some Christmas tunes and pick a few activities from the following list to get the whole family into the Christmas spirit!

     Pinspired Christmas Crafts

    Tissue paper wreath – Let the kids hang their own wreath on their bedroom doors with this super simple tissue paper craft! DIY Reindeer handprint ornament – Let the kids have some fun making their own ornaments, using their own hand prints and some paint. Super simple giant snowflake – This snowflake couldn’t be any easier – all you need is some paper and scissors! Puzzle pieces ornaments – Have a puzzle lying around that never gets used? Re-purpose it for this fun and simple ornament craft!

    Pinspired Christmas Activities

    Magic foaming snowman – Here in Florida, we don’t have snow. But don’t let that stop you from making a snowman! This foaming dough will allow kids to make snowman that will “melt” into an icy puddle of frothy foam! Jam jar snowglobes – These snowgloabes are super easy to make with just a few ingredients, but will make a huge impact as holiday decorations – handmade by your kids! Reindeer food – Don’t forget about Santa’s reindeer this Christmas! This pin will show you how to make reindeer food for when Santa’s sleigh comes by your house to deliver presents. Grow your own Christmas tree – Promote learning while having fun this Christmas! Check out this fun “grow your own Christmas tree” science experiment. Santa footprints – Do your kids believe in Santa? Leave behind Santa’s “footprints” for your kids to discover Christmas morning. This activity is even fun for the parents, too! Elf on the Shelf – It seems as if almost every family has an Elf on the Shelf this holiday season, but sometimes, it can be a lot of work for the parents! Check out this fun idea for “playing hide-n-seek.”

    Pinspired Christmas Munchies

    Peppermint Oreo cookie balls – Cookie balls and cake pops are all the rave this holiday season. Check out this yummy recipe that your whole family will enjoy! Christmas bark – This bark recipe is super simple to make, with only five ingredients! North Pole Cupcakes – These are a great treat to bring to classroom holiday parties. Reindeer Pops – Does your child have a December birthday? Hand these out as party favors! Sugar Cookie decorating ideas – A fun way to spend the afternoon baking with your kids.*Baking Tip – Put icing in condiment bottles for kids for mess-free cookie decorating!

  • Frustrated by your child’s eczema? Here are some things you should know

    If your child suffers from eczema, you know that it can be a challenge to manage the condition. It can often feel like no matter what you do, you can’t seem to get it under control. Despite your best efforts, you’re unable to rescue your child from the itching, the scratching, the rashes and the sleepless nights that ensue. Your child is very literally wearing the evidence of this struggle for the world to see. It’s a terrible feeling, really- that you’re powerless to help your child- but that’s how eczema often makes us feel because it just keeps coming back.

  • What we can learn from Leelah Alcorn’s suicide

    *this photo was posted on Leelah Alcorn's tumblr site

  • Turn your baby’s tummy time into play time!

    Written by Sabina Sheikh, MD

  • Blankets can kill your baby

    Putting your baby to sleep in unsafe bedding could cost your child his life, but according to a study from the American Academy of Pediatrics, half of parents are doing just that.