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  • How to Safely Travel with Kids During COVID-19

      The COVID-19 pandemic has led to many parents with questions about how to safely travel for the holidays with their

  • 6 Tips for Staying Safe (and Sane!) While Traveling with Kids

    Traveling with children can make any trip memorable. But packing up the little ones and whisking them off to new places also can feel extremely daunting. The right preparation and adjustments, though, can help parents stay calm and in control during travel. Whether you’re taking a short road trip, flying across the country or hopping on board a cruise ship, just remember to have fun and be safe.

  • They Look Alike, So How Can I Tell if It’s Asthma or Allergies?

    Asthma and allergies are two of the leading causes of chronic illness in children, and the number children experiencing those conditions is increasing due to a range of potential factors. Although asthma and allergies can interact, as well as share common symptoms—including coughing and shortness of breath—it’s important to understand the difference between them. Still, asthma and allergies present in different ways in different age groups. So it’s best to consult with your pediatrician or an allergist if symptoms do arise.

  • How to help your overweight child develop healthy habits

    In today’s culture, weight is a very sensitive subject, especially when it comes to children and teens. During this stage, they often suffer from low self-esteem and lack self-confidence due to weight concerns. Approaching weight issues with them can be a difficult task, which deserves special attention.

  • Learn to be selfish to take control of your nutrition

    I’d like to share with you something that I talk about frequently with my teenage patients through Teen Xpress. You may find this to be a helpful way of thinking for yourself or for teaching your children as they reach adolescence.

  • Why does my baby's skin look yellow?

    Jaundice is one of those medical terms that you may have heard on occasion, but can’t quite pinpoint what it means exactly. However, if you’re the parent (or soon-to-be parent) of a newborn, it will be helpful for you to become familiar with this common issue affecting babies soon after birth.

  • 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

  • A silent killer in young athletes - sickle cell trait

    The stories have become all too familiar to us: local news coverage shows a high school athlete who has collapsed unexpectedly during a game and is being rushed to the hospital. It is every parent’s worst nightmare.

  • Helping your teen make healthy snack choices can make a BIG difference

    What is one of the first things a teenager does when they come home from school? Mostly likely they will raid the refrigerator or pantry for something to munch on. Choosing healthy options for snacks can help assure teenagers are on the right track to meet nutrition needs for key nutrients, which are important for proper growth and development. On the other hand, snacking on the wrong foods provide teens with extra unnecessary calories and fat which could lead to unwanted weight gain and possible future health problems. You may be asking, how can I encourage teens to grab healthy snacks?

  • 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.