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Hearing with a cochlear implant: Paola's story
Paola Fidalgo is finally able to hear her family thanks to a cochlear implant, or artificial hearing device implanted in her ear. Before the cochlear implant, Paola was unable to hear a door slam, but now is asking her mom to turn down the radio in the car because it's too loud. Hear her story and learn how a cochlear implant has changed her life and offered new hope.
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Forget about warts- frogs can make you (and your kids) sick!
I don’t know about you, but I’m just not into frogs, lizards, snakes or any other creepy, crawly, slimy creature. I am still haunted by memories of my cousins (very mischievous boys!) chasing me with a frog in their hands as I ran for dear life. I’m not sure what I thought would happen if they caught me, but I sure didn’t want to find out.
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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. -
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.
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Your Teen’s Weight Could Be Linked to Chronic Kidney Disease
If your child is overweight, they may be at risk of developing chronic kidney disease in early adulthood. Once that happens, it’s impossible to repair the damage, so it’s important to encourage your child to eat well and exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight.
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10 Common Myths About Measles—and the Real Facts
Measles cases in the U.S. climbed to a 25-year high in April, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 704 confirmed cases of measles so far this year have affected 22 states, including Florida. Although the viral infection was declared “eliminated” from the U.S. in 2000, this year’s rapid spread of measles has become a serious public health concern. Increasing numbers of travelers catch the viral infection abroad and bring it into the U.S., spreading it among pockets of people who are unvaccinated.
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Free Down Syndrome Clinic at the Howard Phillips Center
The 18th Annual Down Syndrome Clinic, presented by the Developmental Center for Infants & Children/Early Steps, provides free resources for infants, children and adults with Down Syndrome. Participating families can see dozens of developmental specialists including dentists, cardiologists, eye doctors, therapists and more. The clinic provides a unique opportunity to access resources and network in one convenient location absolutely free.
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When Healthy Eating Isn't Enough for Severely Obese Teenagers
As the obesity epidemic in the United States continues to rise, a small number of teenagers are finding that traditional methods of weight loss just won’t cut it. For those adolescents with severe obesity, weight loss surgery — or bariatric surgery — may be an option. While healthy eating and exercise are recommended first when trying to lose weight, this surgery could be a life-changing (or even life-saving) choice for some obese teens.
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Early Intervention: a window of opportunity to help your child thrive
What is Early Intervention?
Early Intervention is a federal program that originated in the 1975 Education of All Handicapped Children Act. It is currently Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the law that helps states provide services to babies and toddlers under the age of 36 months who have been diagnosed with a disability, who are not learning and growing at the same rate as other children their age, or who are at risk of having developmental delays in their learning and growing.What is the goal of Early Intervention?
All infants and toddlers grow and develop uniquely. However, some children may show significant delays in attaining their developmental milestones at a young age. The goal of early intervention is to prevent future difficulties and promote the necessary conditions for healthy development. Early Intervention programs minimize and in some cases prevent delays in development of infants and toddlers with disabilities. They can decrease the need for special education and related services when a child enters school, and increase the child’s independence.Why is it important to “Intervene Early?”
Research has shown that the time between birth and 36 months of age is a critical developmental period in a child’s life. These months offer a window of opportunity for learning that will not be available later. Children whose special needs are identified and addressed during these crucial early years have a better chance of reaching their full potential.How do I know if my child will benefit from Early Intervention?
Does your child have special health or learning needs? Was your child born with a very low birth weight? Do you think your child is slow to begin sitting up, crawling, walking or talking? Does your child have vision, hearing or feeding problems? Does your child have trouble relating to other people? Does your child have a condition that may cause him/her to have a future delay in development?What services are included in Early Intervention?
Early Intervention Service programs and funding are different in each state. Typically, Early Intervention programs are designed to address five areas of development with specific services customized to meet each child’s particular needs. These programs take a family-centered approach, and are usually provided in the child’s “natural environment” (home or child care center). Cognitive development: how a child thinks/learns. An Early Intervention specialist/teacher may provide home-based learning enrichment or preschool classroom services may be recommended to address these needs. Physical development: includes fine and gross motor developmental milestones, vision and hearing. Occupational and/or physical therapy may be warranted to address these needs. Children may also be followed by services for children with low vision, or for the deaf/hard-of-hearing. Language, speech and communication: these skills may be further evaluated and treated by a speech-language pathologist Social-emotional development: these skills may warrant the need for evaluation and treatment by a behavioral therapist, counselor or developmental psychologist Adaptive/self-help skills and development: these skills may be further evaluated and treated by an occupational therapist.How can I learn more about Early Intervention in my area?
Families and Advocates Partnership for Education web site: www.fape.org The Developmental Center for Infants and Children at the Howard Philips Center (Early Steps) 407.317.7430 ext. 2121 Florida Directory of Early Childhood Services: 1.800.654.4440 www.centraldirectory.org www.zerotothree.org -
Is going "gluten-free" just a fad?
I remember when my great-aunt Sally came to visit, she would often bring her own bread and a tub of margarine or stick of butter. If we went out to eat to a place like Pizza Hut, she would order a salad with no croutons. When the salad arrived with croutons, she would send it back and have them remake it without them. Aunt Sally had celiac disease; a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine, causing malabsorption of nutrients after a protein called “gluten” is consumed. Even the tiniest crumb of a gluten-containing food caused Aunt Sally a lot pain.
How common is celiac disease?
An estimated 1% of the population in the United States has celiac disease, and 97% of those affected by celiac disease are undiagnosed. In Florida, that means approximately 195,000 people have celiac disease, but fewer than 6,000 of them know it. In one study looking at the prevalence of celiac disease in the U.S., 29 of the 35 people found with celiac disease did not know they had it prior to the study.
