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What you need to know about your baby's developmental milestones
At some point or another, it is very normal for parents to wonder if their child is developing appropriately. We think to ourselves, “Should she be talking more?” or “When will he start walking?” When we hear about other children around the same age as our own performing certain milestones that our own child hasn’t yet, it’s natural to compare and wonder if everything is okay.
I’m worried about my child, who should I talk to?
The first place to start is with your primary pediatrician or family physician. Even though it seems like there are a lot of well-child checkups in the first couple years of your child’s life, those checkups are very important. Since no two children develop at the same exact pace, there is an age range of when certain milestones are typically accomplished. Developmental skills that your child learns how to perform over time can be divided into five categories: Gross motor – using large groups of muscles to sit, stand, or run Fine motor – using hands to eat, draw, or dress Social/emotional – playing with others, cooperating, forming relationships Cognitive/problem solving – learning, reasoning, problem-solving Language – cooing, babbling, speaking, using gestures, understandingAt each appointment, your care provider will ask what new things your child is able to do since the last time you saw them in the office. By keeping your regular appointments, your care provider will be able to keep track if your child is meeting developmental milestones appropriately or not. -
A glimpse into Kaylee’s Life with Prader-Willi Syndrome
Monique and her husband Brian “Griff” Griffin had a lot to look forward to in the New Year. As 2008 was drawing to a close, the couple eagerly anticipated the arrival of their first child, a daughter, in the coming weeks. They were an equal mix of excitement and nervousness, looking forward to the joys of parenthood and anxious for all of the unexpected thrills that were headed their way. But when Monique went into labor five weeks early on December 28, she and Griff could not have predicted just how much their lives would change in the coming year.
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One simple test saved Lauren's life
When Lauren Doubleday was born, her parents were excited to welcome a happy, healthy baby girl. But less than 24 hours later, they were told that Lauren had a serious heart defect. The fact that this heart defect was even caught is thanks to one simple test - a pulse ox screening. For the past year, babies born at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies have received additional screening to check the oxygen levels in their blood. This simple test can signal potential heart defects and allows our team to intervene as soon as possible.
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Free Down Syndrome Clinic at the Howard Phillips Center
The 18th Annual Down Syndrome Clinic, presented by the Developmental Center for Infants & Children/Early Steps, provides free resources for infants, children and adults with Down Syndrome. Participating families can see dozens of developmental specialists including dentists, cardiologists, eye doctors, therapists and more. The clinic provides a unique opportunity to access resources and network in one convenient location absolutely free.
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Talking to Teens about Sex
As an adolescent medicine specialist caring for youth at a time of life when first crushes, first dates, and first loves (and for some youth, the first time) happen, I cannot help but notice the obvious lack of communication between parents and teens about sexuality, and quite frankly, sex. For many parents, sex in the teenage years is something to be feared and forbidden and is often a source of family conflict. Many parents cringe at the idea of talking about sex with teens. And when they do talk to teens, conversations usually focus just on the dangers of sex and romance -- STDs, pregnancy and heartbreak.
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Potty-training woes? Sometimes we just need to laugh
Have you heard about my potty-training woes?
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Report cards for your child's weight?
It’s all over news headlines: childhood obesity. It now seems to be an issue that just won’t go away, despite all of the programs and campaigns to help encourage kids and families to become healthier. It’s just so hard with countless fast-food chains, ever-evolving technology that gives kids one more reason not to move from the couch, and school systems that have been resistant to change. However, the school system has been attacked hard, and slowly, schools are now making a greater effort to become healthier. Some schools have even taken it to the next level with what are called, “BMI report cards”.
What on earth are BMI report cards?
Let’s first start by defining BMI. Body mass index, or BMI, is the ratio of a person’s height and weight as a way to determine whether that person is overweight or obese. It is often used to help identify those who are at risk for weight-related health problems. -
The Puzzle Theory
Are puzzles in your toddler’s toy basket? If not, you may want to reconsider. These challenging games are a great tool to keep your child entertained and help stimulate their minds. Unlike a toy truck or baby doll, puzzles are interactive and keep children interested and willing to try and try again until they get the perfect fit. Now, not saying toy trucks or baby dolls are a bad thing; they’re great! But we all want our babies to grow up to be little Einsteins right? Or at least that’s what we tell ourselves.
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Time to shape up your plate
March is National Nutrition Month, sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which makes it a great time to get your family’s plate in shape. We tend to do what we’ve always done when it comes to food. We eat familiar foods, sometimes over and over, and usually consume the same quantity of food.
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What goes on at your dinner table?
Dinnertime is not what it used to be. It used to be a time for the whole family to sit down around the table and spend an hour of quality time together. It was the one time of the day where everyone could sit down to a nice home-cooked meal and share stories from their day, catch up, and have meaningful conversation that otherwise wouldn’t happen on-the-go. It was the normalcy and the time of the day that parents looked forward to.
