All Search Results
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Easing your child’s anxiety about the new school year
“Are you excited about going back to school?”
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Powdered caffeine is risky business: Why parents should be concerned.
Most of us look for a boost of energy in our morning (or afternoon) cup of coffee or tea. But what if I told you to just skip the regular cup of Joe and sprinkle some caffeine powder on your morning oatmeal or stir it in a fruit smoothie?
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Preparing your child for surgery
Hearing that your child needs surgery is difficult for many families to digest, and can often result in increased stress and anxiety leading up to surgery day. For many parents and children, the fear of the unknown leaves them with many questions relating to the preparation for surgery, the surgery procedure, and recovery after surgery. Sometimes for children, the unknown is their best coping tool in preparation for surgery as they think, “If I don’t know the details of the surgery, then I don’t have to think about it and therefore it won’t happen.” For many children and parents alike, denial and avoidance is a common stress relief tactic. However, the child is probably thinking about surgery day as he/she overhears conversations between adults about the surgery, and is likely picking up on their parent’s stress. The child has also been going to doctors’ appointments that are necessary before surgery, making it that much more real to the child. Knowing what to expect on surgery day can actually help ease those feelings of stress and anxiety, and help to eliminate misconceptions that the child may be envisioning.
How do we help ease a child’s fears of surgery at Arnold Palmer Hospital?
At Arnold Palmer Hospital, we offer a free, educational program called Project P.L.A.Y., which is designed to help your child understand what to expect before surgery and during their hospital stay. The program is led by a child life specialist who will walk your child, siblings, and you through what to expect leading up to surgery, as well as what to expect after surgery.What does the program entail?
For younger children, our child life specialists use a teaching doll to explain what’s going to happen before and after surgery – all on an age-appropriate level. This can include things such as: IVs, catheter, and any other tubes or medical items they may see on their bodies before or after the procedure. They also show the child what an anesthesia mask looks like and explains that “sleepy medicine” helps them so they won’t feel anything during surgery. -
Living to the beat of a normal heart: Cameron's story
Four years ago when Heather was 36 weeks pregnant, she went in to her doctor’s office for what she thought would be a routine check-up. However, her OB/GYN, Dr. Emma Fritz, told her she needed to go immediately to Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, as her unborn son’s heart needed emergency treatment. As a flurry of emotions rushed over her and her husband, Ryan, they put complete faith in the hands of the specialists at Winnie Palmer Hospital and Arnold Palmer Hospital who would soon care for their baby boy.
Expecting the unexpected leading up to Cameron’s birth
Heather was used to going in for testing at her OB/GYN’s office several times a week throughout her pregnancy. Her unborn son, Cameron, had been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat in the early stages of Heather’s pregnancy, requiring frequent check-ups to monitor his condition. Going in for her 36-week appointment, Heather wasn’t expecting anything out of the ordinary. But one look at her doctor and she knew this time, things were different. -
Pediatricians can’t ask you about guns
There’s been an ongoing court battle here in the state of Florida over whether physicians have the right to ask families about gun ownership in their home.
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The “thigh gap:” A skinny rule reigning social media sites frequented by teenage girls
The thigh gap. Have you heard of it? No? Perhaps your teenage daughter has. This “rule” for skinny is permeating social media sites: tumblr, facebook, instagram, to name a few. Even though this seems like a relatively new trend, women have been using their thighs as a way to measure their body image for years. I know, because a particular Oprah show is forever engrained into my mind. A few years back, as I was watching this show, I recall a vivid image of Oprah, standing with her feet touching, looking at the space between her legs and proclaiming that “skinny” women strive to have at least two gaps showing (a gap between the ankles and a gap just below the knees), and if they are lucky, three – the gap between the thighs. I’m even embarrassed to say that I catch myself every now and then looking at my thighs to see if I have “the gap.”
What exactly is the thigh gap?
The thigh gap is a one to two inch gap between the thighs when the feet are touching together. However, this “gap” is almost impossible to attain, and the process of obtaining a thigh gap is risky, oftentimes sparking unhealthy fitness and eating behaviors. This trend has also raised concerns among eating disorder experts, as they recognize that in order to obtain a thigh gap, one would most likely take on some form of disordered eating. -
The 21st century mother: Challenges with breastfeeding and working
To breastfeed or not to breastfeed: the looming question for soon-to-be mothers. The obvious response would be “yes, of course,” because breast milk contains antibodies that protect babies from bacteria and viruses. Breastfed children have fewer ear, respiratory, and urinary tract infections and have diarrhea less often, which means less trips to the pediatrician, and less call outs from work and out-of-pocket expenses. But, for a working mom, this is easier said than done. Not all women are confident in their decision to breastfeed after returning to work due to the stresses of pumping.
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One little boy's journey through the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Winnie Palmer Hospital: Dylan's story
This story was written by Candace Forrest, mom to Dylan
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My journey through postpartum depression: Jenn's story
Written by Jenn Stagg
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What’s the scoop on maternity shapewear? Is it safe for mom and baby?
Maternity shapewear has been around for years. And for a good reason, too. Sometimes, when a woman is pregnant, it’s nice to have the little extra assistance to help cut down on the amount of jiggle going on – if you know what I mean. But over the past few years, the leading brand of control undergarments for women, Spanx, has faced major scrutiny for its line of maternity shapewear called “Mama Spanx.” The panty hose featured in this line are designed to deliver comfort by providing a non-binding waistband and under belly support to firm and lift all the right places while keeping the baby safe.
The controversy
The Spanx line for soon-to-be mammas was first introduced in 2004, and has garnered heated discussion since. There are two concerns that seem to trump all: body image and safety for mom and baby. Some question the motives of the maternity line – Does it send the message that women should be ashamed of their body, as it changes to accommodate a growing baby? Others are concerned about the fetus – does the shapewear constrict blood flow and oxygen to the baby?
