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  • 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.

  • To Circumcise or Not: What To Consider

    Circumcision, the removal of the foreskin from your infant’s penis, is a personal decision that often can be stressful for parents.

  • To spank or not to spank?

    How you choose to discipline your child is an intensely personal decision. I wonder if there is any other choice that we’ll make for our children that has the potential for such deep and far-reaching effects. And yet, most of us are still figuring it out as we go, aren’t we?

  • Are your kids stressed or anxious?

    This post was written by the Patient and Family Counseling team at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. 

  • Is It Grief or Depression? How to Tell the Difference

    Grief is a common, expected experience as a child or teenager processes difficult life circumstances. Depression, however, is a mood disorder that can be prolonged and serious. Because depression left untreated can be harmful and lead to suicidal or other risky behaviors, recognizing the difference between the two is vital.

  • Does My Child Have an Upset Stomach or Appendicitis?

    You’re driving back from a family outing and each time your car rolls over the neighborhood speed bumps your youngest child cries out. When you ask what’s wrong, they whimper and struggle to explain. Then you recall how earlier that day when the kids were playing outside, your child abruptly stopped and complained of a sore belly. Is it an upset stomach or could these complaints point to something more serious – like appendicitis? 

  • Is Your Infant or Child Constipated? Here’s How To Help

    If you’ve ever had to potty train a toddler, you're familiar with the best-selling children’s book “Everyone Poops.” But what happens when your baby – or older child – suffers from constipation?  

  • Do your kids or teenagers drink energy drinks?

    The debate about kids and their drinks of choice came to the forefront recently as a family featured on the show “Toddlers and Tiaras “described their pre-pageant routine. Watch this clip from “Good Morning America” where Mom describes how her concoction of “go-go juice” (a mixture of Mountain Dew and Red Bull) gets her daughter ready for the stage:

  • Is it a speech problem or something much more? Learn about Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

    Many children are diagnosed annually with a developmental speech sound disorder because they can’t say their r’s or say things like “tat” for “cat”. It is reported that the occurrence of speech sound disorders ranges from 2% to 25% of children aged 5 to 7 years old. These speech issues are considered developmental because they follow a typical developmental pattern in the early stages of speech development, but for whatever reason, do not correct themselves by a developmentally appropriate age. Most of these children can improve these issues with traditional therapy services provided by a licensed speech pathologist. However, in approximately 3-4% of those children referred for a speech sound disorder it is a much more complicated issue known as Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS).

  • Encopresis: is your child having a potty accident or is it something more?

    From time to time, people experience physical changes or symptoms that they might be embarrassed to talk about. Therefore, they might avoid seeking medical attention and the problem goes untreated for longer than it should. One such problem is encopresis. Encopresis is defined as involuntary passage of feces as a result of constipation.