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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.
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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.
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Want to save a life today? How about three? You can do just that by donating blood.
It’s easy to overlook the importance of donating blood because most of us just don’t think about it until it applies to us. However when the unthinkable happens- an unexpected surgery, a cancer diagnosis, a premature baby is born- donated blood can make the difference between life and death. One out of every three people in the United States will need donated blood at some time in their lives. And for some, that time is now.
I’d like you to meet Ethan.
Ethan is 14 years old. In May of 2013, Ethan was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. After undergoing 14 rounds of chemotherapy treatment, he was cancer-free and ready to go back to life as a normal teenager. However, a few months later during a routine follow-up, doctors diagnosed Ethan with a blood disorder called myelodisplastic syndrome (MDS), which then progressed to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), likely an unwanted side effect of his previous chemotherapy. He underwent another round of chemotherapy treatment and a bone marrow transplant that required him to spend 67 consecutive days in the hospital. He made it home just in time to spend Christmas with his family. He’s looking forward to finishing his treatment so that he can go back to school, play video games with his friends and enjoy his favorite sports like soccer and baseball. -
What does Florida’s new booster seat law mean for your family?
On January 1st, 2015 a new law became effective in Florida requiring children under the age of six years old to be restrained either in a child safety seat or booster seat while riding in a vehicle. Previously, Florida law mandated only that children under three years of age be restrained in a car seat, allowing parents to use seat belts for older children. Until this law took effect, Florida was one of only two states that did not require these safety measures for children under five years of age.
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Secondary drowning: What you need to know to protect your child
This post was originally posted on June 27, 2014.
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What You Need to Know to Keep Your Child Safe This Summer
Parents and children alike are breathing a collective sigh of relief that the lazy days of summer are finally here. However, along with the lovely warm weather come some risks.
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Making Kids Feel Like Kids: What it’s like to be a Child Life Specialist
Most kids don’t want to step foot inside of a hospital. Luckily for the children treated at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, the Child Life staff improves the hospital experience. And for the kids being treated at the Center for Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders, Child Life Specialist Lauren Hamed and team focus on making extended stays and routine visits full of therapeutic interactions.
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Do you think your child may have ADHD? Here are the next steps to take.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common medical issues affecting children, with an estimated 5 to 11% of children in the U.S. diagnosed with the disorder. Despite its prevalence (or perhaps because of it), an ADHD diagnosis for a child often brings with it feelings of stress, frustration, confusion and fear for parents. There are multitudes of conflicting opinions floating around about ADHD, and many parents find it difficult to decide which voices to listen to and how to make the right decision for their child.
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Epilepsy patients: sleeping on your stomach may be associated with sudden death
New research published in the Journal Neurology brings to light an association between patients with epilepsy who experience sudden unexpected death and their sleep positioning. As researchers reviewed studies pertaining to sudden unexplained death in epileptics, they determined that victims of this tragedy were much more likely to be found lying on their stomachs, especially if they were under 40 years of age.
What does this study mean?
First, it’s important to know what it doesn’t mean. This study cannot and does not tell us that sleeping on your stomach will kill you, whether you suffer from epilepsy or not. When a scientific study shows an association between two things, it doesn’t necessarily mean that one thing causes the other. It means that two things are somehow associated and more work needs to be done to determine exactly what is causing the two to coexist. -
What not to say to an adoptive parent
I have the good fortune of knowing many families with children who have been adopted, and over the years I’ve been appalled at some of the conversations these friends have endured at the hand of strangers (and even non-strangers). Most adoptive parents will tell you that they know these offenses are not intentional, and they give a lot of grace as they try to educate the public on adoption one awkward conversation at a time. Many would probably tell you, though, that they wish they didn’t have to be blindsided by these uncomfortable and sometimes hurtful exchanges. So, if you know families with adopted children or if you happen to meet a mom at the park that appears to be an adoptive mother, here are some things NOT to say:
