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  • Fun is the name of the game! Learn about the benefits of Aquatic Therapy for your child.

    One of the things I love about being an occupational therapist is using unique tools to help a child reach their full potential. One of those tools that may be a bit unexpected is a swimming pool. The properties of water offer unique benefits, are familiar to children and inherently add the unquestionable element of fun. As therapists we know that when a child is having fun, they will try harder and risk failure to reach their goals. When we treat your child, our pursuit is to build on their strengths and challenge their weaknesses while engaging them in motivating ways. Fun is the ultimate motivator! Children who have faced physical disabilities, learning difficulties or traumatic injury certainly know how fun can turn a daunting challenge into an achievable one.

  • Get to know Dr. Mark Weatherly, pediatric pulmonologist at Arnold Palmer Hospital

    The Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital cares for infants, children and young adults with chronic and acute respiratory disorders. Our practice provides comprehensive care for a wide variety of disorders associated with the lungs including, but not limited to, everything from asthma and chronic cough to restrictive, interstitial lung diseases and sleep disorders. Our interdisciplinary team consists of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, respiratory care practitioners, social workers, dietitians, pharmacists, medical assistants, front office staff and medical residents. We recently interviewed Dr. Weatherly, pediatric pulmonologist, to get to know him outside of the exam room and to learn more about the Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Center.

    Where did you grow up?

    In Michigan.

    Where did you go to medical school?

    Michigan State University

    What was your first job?

    I was a camp counselor in high school.

    What are your hobbies?

    Reading, travel, medical missions volunteer

    If you could meet anyone, who could it be?

    The Pope because I think he would have a great perspective on suffering and the love of God in our lives.

    Did you always know you wanted to go into the field of medicine?

    No. I wanted to be a veterinarian but discovered an allergy to cats, so that was not a viable career!

    Why did you choose to go into pediatric pulmonology?

    I had a mentor and role model who was a pediatric pulmonologist. I loved the way he helped families of children with Cystic Fibrosis, as well as how he balanced his career and family time.

    How long have you worked at Arnold Palmer Hospital?

    I have admitted patients here for 17 years and have actually worked for the hospital for 6 years.

    What do you love most about working at the Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital?

    We have an awesome multidisciplinary team that works well together and provides excellent comprehensive care to patients.

    Has there been a specific patient or family that has impacted you as a physician?

    There have been many. Each family brings their own perspective to a chronic illness, and it is an honor (though sometimes a challenge) to work with them through the process of medical therapy for their child.

    What is one thing that most of your patients don’t know about you?

    I am crazy about dogs, and I feel a little guilty telling some patients who have pet allergies they cannot have a pet when I have one myself!

    In honor of Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, what key pieces of advice do you give to families whose child has been diagnosed with asthma?

    Take your preventive medication as prescribed, and do not let anyone tell you not to be physically active because of your asthma. Go for it!

    Click here to learn more about the Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital

  • Newer tests may help you better understand your child’s food allergy

    A severe food allergy is often a complex and confusing diagnosis. It’s also one of the most common medical issues, especially in children. Many parents of food-allergic kids remain somewhat perplexed about their child’s condition long after diagnosis. Will my child outgrow this allergy? What exactly is okay to feed to my child and what isn’t? Is this really a serious issue or can we relax a little? These questions often linger unanswered, and that’s not a good thing.

  • Helping your child say farewell to preschool, hello to kindergarten

    In a few short months, I will be the parent of a kindergartener. That boggles my mind a little bit. Gone is the chunky toddler who yells, “Nack! Nack!” when she wants an afternoon snack. No more diapers to change or pacifiers or naptime stories. She has officially moved on from baby to toddler and now little girl. As we make this change from preschool to kindergarten, it feels important to me to transition well- for her sake and mine- and to embark on this next challenge with enthusiasm.

  • Epilepsy patients: sleeping on your stomach may be associated with sudden death

    New research published in the Journal Neurology brings to light an association between patients with epilepsy who experience sudden unexpected death and their sleep positioning. As researchers reviewed studies pertaining to sudden unexplained death in epileptics, they determined that victims of this tragedy were much more likely to be found lying on their stomachs, especially if they were under 40 years of age.

    What does this study mean? 

    First, it’s important to know what it doesn’t mean. This study cannot and does not tell us that sleeping on your stomach will kill you, whether you suffer from epilepsy or not. When a scientific study shows an association between two things, it doesn’t necessarily mean that one thing causes the other. It means that two things are somehow associated and more work needs to be done to determine exactly what is causing the two to coexist.

  • NICU nurse who developed special pacifier pushes for more babies to have access

    In time for Mother’s Day, the nurse who developed the groundbreaking “preemie pacifiers” is asking the American Academy of Neonatal Nursing to make sure more babies to have access them. Harriet Miller, Ph.D, ARNP, is a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies. After years of working around preemies she developed the special pacifier after noticing that the tiniest of her patients in the NICU did not have a voice.

  • Secondary drowning: What you need to know to protect your child

    This post was originally posted on June 27, 2014.

  • Turn your baby’s tummy time into play time!

    Written by Sabina Sheikh, MD

  • What to remember when parenting feels hard

    With each new stage that my children enter, it’s a new reality for me as a parent. That’s especially true with my oldest. Every new milestone and new horizon for her means that I’m back to square one again trying to figure out this parenting thing. As I sort through the complexities of raising children, there are times when I am overwhelmed with the decisions I have to make and the doubts that linger in the back of mind. Am I doing this right?

  • 4 things your children are learning through play

    There is an old saying that Child Life Specialists hear and say often: “A child’s play is their work.” It is no secret that children love to play. Play is a child’s way of learning about the world around them. It is fun, but also allows them a safe and familiar way to process information and experiences on a day-to-day basis. Children can engage in multiple types of play, either by themselves or with their friends. The benefits of play are necessary components for the positive growth and development of children regardless of age or gender.