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  • Should my child take swim lessons?

    Summer is in full swing, and many families in central Florida are heading to the pool or the beach to cool off. While you are having fun with your family, it’s important to use layers of protection to help keep your children safe when they are playing in or near the water.

  • Young children are at a greater risk for dog bites

    Dog bites hurt. Want to know how I know? Because I got snapped at when I was a little girl, and I haven’t forgotten about it since then. I remember the incident like it was yesterday. My family was taking care of my grandparents’ dog while they were away – a springer spaniel named “Jenna.” Jenna had quickly become my friend, as we were lying on the floor watching movies one afternoon. I wanted to get as close to Jenna as I could, and found myself all up in her face. We had no boundaries, or so I thought. The next thing I know, Jenna, having none of it, snapped at my face, snagging the tip of my nose. I was traumatized, and wanted nothing to do with Jenna after that.

  • The best newborn sleep advice I’ve ever received: Part 1

    Before my daughter was born, I read a lot of parenting books. I was probably as prepared as a first-time mom could have been. And yet, when that little bundle finally made her appearance, I didn’t feel prepared at all.

  • The best newborn sleep advice I've ever received: Part 2

    In , I shared some of the best advice I received when my daughter was an infant about getting a newborn to sleep. Of course, every family and every baby is different, but here are a few more things I learned that might be helpful to you if you’re struggling to sort out your baby’s sleep problems:

    Cry it out at increasing intervals

    You may have heard of the “cry-it-out” method. To be honest, I don’t know much about the official method that Dr. Richard Ferber developed. I’ve never read his book because that approach to parenting never appealed to me. Even the name “cry-it-out” just sounds kind of scary. The thought of leaving my baby screaming helplessly and miserably for what seems like an eternity just didn’t feel like the right approach. And, I was frightened by all of the people who told me that I would emotionally scar my baby if I didn’t comfort her immediately.

  • Welcome to Illuminate

    Living in Central Florida for the past 10 years, it has amazed me to see the different people and cultures from all over the world represented right here in my own backyard. Many of the people that call this area home have come from places I've only dreamed of. They speak different languages, have different cultural and religious values and have totally different perspectives on the world around them. I love to hear their stories, get a glimpse into their lives and see the world as they see it.

  • Helping teens make the leap into adulthood

    Yesterday, I met an 18-year-old young man who was coming in for his yearly physical for the first time. He had previously been followed by a general pediatrician, but he felt it was time to move out of the pediatric care setting into a health home that specializes in caring for adolescents and young adults. “Why?” I asked. To this he responded, "Because I felt it was time. I am not a child anymore."

  • Medication poisoning has increased; are your kids safe?

    I consider myself a safety-conscious parent. I always buckle my daughter in her car seat. I make her wear a helmet when we go for a bike ride, and our house is fully child-proofed. But, there may be one very important safety issue that I overlook every day.

  • Bringing hope and happiness: Tyler's story

    The fight of a lifetime

    On April 14, 2005 Tyler was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer. He was two weeks away from his fifth birthday, and he had no idea that he was about to embark upon the fight of his life.

  • Overcoming postpartum depression: Heather's Story

    January 20, 2012. Within 24 hours of the birth of my beautiful baby girl, my eyes filled with tears and I couldn’t move from my bed. While watching my all-time favorite TV show “Friends” in my recovery room, the all-too familiar feeling of anxiety and uncontrollable sadness flooded my system. 

  • A letter to other families battling childhood cancer

    Written by Colleen and JP Wright, parents of Ethan Wright, Ewing's Sarcoma Fighter and to date, SURVIVOR