All Search Results
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How to recognize and prevent dehydration in kids
Before you know it the school year will be over and summer break will be upon us. As our kids buzz with excitement at the thought of their summer adventures, and we parents get a little stressed wondering how to keep kids busy for the next few months, there’s something else to consider. As the weather heats up each day, it becomes more and more critical to be sure your kids aren’t getting dehydrated in the summer heat.
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How we help children with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and allergic gastrointestinal problems
Eosinophilic esophageal disorder (EoE) is a long, tongue-twisting name that is perhaps fitting for this very complicated disorder. Sometimes referred to as a food allergy of the esophagus, it is a chronic problem that has to be carefully managed by a team of experts over a long period of time.
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5 easy things you can do to give your kids healthy teeth
So it’s happening. Your six-month-old baby is crying nonstop, and you finally found the reason: they have their first tooth! But what now? Everyone knows we’re supposed to brush our teeth. But when do you start teaching your child to brush? How often should your kids brush? What happens when they don’t take care of their teeth?
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Why your pediatrician isn't a big fan of fruit juice
You may have seen some recent news headlines that state that pediatricians recommend that infants less than one year of age consume no fruit juice at all. While this is a change to previous recommendations stating that juice was not recommended in infants less than six months of age, the truth is that pediatricians have long been wary of kids drinking too much fruit juice. Even among older kids, the recommended serving sizes of juice they can consume in a day are shockingly small.
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What every parent should know about mental health in kids and teens
As a mental health provider, I often hear how parents and guardians of children tend to think their child is “too young” to have a mental health diagnosis. It is unfortunate, but I have noticed that the stigma of having a mental health condition gets in the way of understanding and treating children many times. Mental health conditions and disorders don't only affect adults. Children and teens can experience mental health problems, too. In fact, research shows that most mental disorders follow a developmental course that typically starts early in life. According to the National Institute of Mental Health “this is true not only of conditions such as autism and ADHD, which are well known for having onset in childhood, but also for mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders. So, many people who suffer from depression, social phobia, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia showed signs before they were 24 years old.”
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Can a smart device save your baby’s life?
If there were a device available for purchase that could protect your infant from sudden, unexplained death and keep your family from the pain and suffering of the loss of a child, would you buy it?
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So you have a child that isn’t talking yet. What should you do?
As a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist, I see children with a variety of speech and language disorders. One of the most common is what is known as expressive language delay, which is when a child is not using the vocabulary and phrase/sentence length that is appropriate for their age. Although there can be specific medical reasons for the delay, it can also happen with no other diagnosis. For those kids who seem to understand everything but are not communicating at their age level, I encourage parents to work on building their child’s “intent to communicate.”
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Is your child with autism spectrum disorder entitled to music therapy services?
If you have a child with autism, you may find they are especially in tune with certain elements of music like rhythm, harmony, melody, and pitch. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often demonstrate exceptional skills in music. In fact, many musical skills that are rare within the general population are more common in those with ASD. Examples include incredible accuracy in singing or playing musical notes, the ability to recall melodies with great accuracy, and the ability to name musical notes without any reference to a musical instrument.
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Pet turtles can make your kids really sick. Here’s how.
My kids have asked me on numerous occasions if we could get a pet turtle. We’ve found tiny turtles scurrying in the grass near the lake, big ones wandering alone in the park or sweet little creatures in the tank at pet stores. My kids wouldn’t care where they came from, but they want one, badly. I’ve said no every single time.
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6 Tips for Potty-Training
When you get ready to potty-train your little one, you may wonder about the “right” way to do it. The truth is, there isn’t only one “right” way. Potty-training is a learning process for both you and your child, and it takes time, effort and commitment. Some books or parenting gurus may promise you a step-by-step program for guaranteed success, but there is no easy or fool-proof way to do it. There will be accidents. It will take time, and that’s okay.
