All Search Results
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The most important thing you probably aren't teaching your child
One of the many hats that parents, caregivers, coaches, teachers, and child life specialists (like myself) wear is that of a cheerleader. We encourage kids to feel smart, capable, strong, creative, and to be kind to others. But what do we do to teach kids about being kind to themselves?
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Should I let my teen use creatine?
If your teenager is involved in youth sports, you’ll likely hear about the nutritional supplement creatine. This product, available in powder or capsule form, is very popular among high school athletes. Studies have demonstrated that approximately 35 percent of middle and high school boys use creatine to improve their athletic performance.
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Get to know Dr. Patricia Wheeler, pediatric geneticist at Arnold Palmer Hospital
You could say that a pediatric geneticist is a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, working to solve the mystery of a child’s medical condition. Geneticists work with families to help determine whether a child’s illness could be caused by a change in a child’s DNA, the hereditary material that carries a person’s genetic information. Accompanied by a team of professionals, a geneticist also helps figure out whether this disorder is likely to be passed on to future generations and helps patients and families seek the best care for their condition. Some common inherited disorders that geneticists diagnose include autism, neurofibromatosis, Down syndrome, sickle cell disease and many more.
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How should we communicate with other parents as our kids get older?
As a parent of a big kid, one who is not quite yet a teen but close to it, my husband and I have found that we are starting to allow our child more freedom to do things. He is hanging out with other kids more at our house and their houses. He’s riding his bike to his friend’s houses alone. This means that more and more often, we are trusting other parents to keep an eye on our kid and in turn, we are watching not only our son but his friends, too.
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Four things to know about concussions in kids
Concussions happen all the time. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, an estimated 3.8 million recreation and sports-related concussions occur in the US each year! And as brain injuries, every concussion needs to be taken seriously. Research is ongoing into the long-term effects of traumatic brain damage in both youth and adults, but in the meantime, here are some things you should you know about the injury and its implications for your child returning to school and play.
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Healthy Summer Grilling Ideas Kids Will Love
Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of the summer grilling season. It’s a perfect opportunity for kids to try some new foods and revisit old favorites in exciting ways.
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Why you (and your kids) shouldn't use antibacterial soap anymore
No more antibacterial soap. Not at home. Not at school. Not at all for healthy people.
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Tips to make your kid's sport season a safer one
Kids are back in school and back in sports. When I was younger, that always meant balancing the less-than-happy feelings of returning to a sleep schedule with my excitement over returning to organized sports. Sports were always a fun way for me to stay active, learn to work within a team and to build friendships.
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How do you teach a child to be kind, caring and compassionate?
Working as a child life specialist has granted me a front row seat to some of life's most challenging, defining, and intimate moments for the kids I serve. In partnering with children and families, we work to empower and encourage positive coping skills and help them make meaning from the obstacles they have been presented. And through this, I am always left with a chance for meaning-making of my own. Lately, I have been reflecting on the concept of empathy and its importance not only within the lives of those affected by medical challenges, but as a basic skill needed between all people.
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How to Make the Most of Your Family Dinners
I talk to a lot parents who share that their child comes home from school and when they ask how their day was, they hear “fine” as their child walks toward their room and shuts the door. I praise these parents for trying to connect with their child, and then tell them they are doing it all wrong!
