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  • What you need to know about your baby's developmental milestones

    At some point or another, it is very normal for parents to wonder if their child is developing appropriately. We think to ourselves, “Should she be talking more?” or “When will he start walking?” When we hear about other children around the same age as our own performing certain milestones that our own child hasn’t yet, it’s natural to compare and wonder if everything is okay.

    I’m worried about my child, who should I talk to?

    The first place to start is with your primary pediatrician or family physician. Even though it seems like there are a lot of well-child checkups in the first couple years of your child’s life, those checkups are very important. Since no two children develop at the same exact pace, there is an age range of when certain milestones are typically accomplished. Developmental skills that your child learns how to perform over time can be divided into five categories: Gross motor – using large groups of muscles to sit, stand, or run Fine motor – using hands to eat, draw, or dress Social/emotional – playing with others, cooperating, forming relationships Cognitive/problem solving – learning, reasoning, problem-solving Language – cooing, babbling, speaking, using gestures, understandingAt each appointment, your care provider will ask what new things your child is able to do since the last time you saw them in the office. By keeping your regular appointments, your care provider will be able to keep track if your child is meeting developmental milestones appropriately or not.

  • Why I'm not riding the organic bandwagon

    On Fridays, my daughter and I participate in a playgroup. We have an informal group of moms and kids that get together to do fun activities. It’s a great way for the kids to socialize and learn to play well together, while having the opportunity to do something fun. Once in a while, the moms even have a chance to have a conversation, too.

  • A glimpse into Kaylee’s Life with Prader-Willi Syndrome

    Monique and her husband Brian “Griff” Griffin had a lot to look forward to in the New Year. As 2008 was drawing to a close, the couple eagerly anticipated the arrival of their first child, a daughter, in the coming weeks. They were an equal mix of excitement and nervousness, looking forward to the joys of parenthood and anxious for all of the unexpected thrills that were headed their way. But when Monique went into labor five weeks early on December 28, she and Griff could not have predicted just how much their lives would change in the coming year.

  • Look Before You Lock

    This post was originally published June 2013

  • Preschoolers aren’t getting enough active play time

    A new study tells us that preschool-aged children aren’t getting enough active play time at their childcare facility.

  • Should I bank my baby's cord blood?

    This post was originally published in August 2013 

  • The one piece of advice I’d give myself as a new mother

    I’ve been a mother for nearly six years now, and it has been a wild and wonderful ride so far. As my little people grow into bigger people, I sometimes stop and think back on those first months and years as a parent. I thought parenting was all about taking care of and teaching my children. It is about that, of course. What I didn’t know, though, is that it’s also a journey for me as I learn and grow and change through this process of caring for others.

  • What you need to know about car seat safety for your kids

    This post was written with Amber Yampolsky, PT, ATP, CPST, Physical Therapist at Arnold Palmer Hospital

  • Does your teen want a tattoo? Here’s another reason to say no.

    Whether it’s their favorite sports team, a tribal symbol or pretty little butterfly, teens have varying reasons for wanting tattoos. They crave self-expression, a way to assert independence from their parents, and tangible means to demonstrate their belonging to a group. Tattoos are a very visible way of achieving all of those things.

  • Can tea tree oil prevent head lice?

    For parents of school-aged children, the mere mention of that four-letter word L-I-C-E can send us into a panic and fast!