All Search Results
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How do you cope with a debilitating and invisible chronic illness?
How do you cope with having a debilitating invisible chronic illness, like Gastroparesis? When I was first diagnosed with Gastroparesis, I honestly didn’t know how to feel. It was like I was on a rollercoaster of emotions - accepting one day, and completely confused the next. I later came to the realization that those feelings are completely normal.
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How to keep your kids from begging for Halloween candy
Halloween has become one of my favorite holidays. I never cared for it much before I became a parent, but now I look forward to it every year. My kids get so excited for the day to finally arrive, and I love seeing them dressed up in their little costumes, even if it’s only long enough for a couple of pictures. We take them door to door, and they continue to be thrilled each and every time a neighbor drops a treat into their ever-growing stash. We come home way past their bedtime with loads of treasure, and they can’t wait to dig through it all and sample their goodies.
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5 Conversations You Should Have Before Sending Your Child to College
Every August and September, parents and kids everywhere prepare for the first day of school. While the first day of school is always a big deal, there are few first days bigger than the first day of college. If your (big) baby is starting their first semester at a higher education institution, you know there is a lot to do – packing, unpacking, registering for classes and meeting new people are just a few items on a very long list. If you haven’t had these conversations with your college-bound son or daughter, make sure you add these discussions onto your to-do list.
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Why antibiotics aren't always the answer
When our kids get sick, we often feel desperate for relief and many parents look to antibiotics to help their children get better faster.
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My baby is spitting up: is this normal?
As a pediatric resident I get to see many newborn babies, and I often continue to care for them in our outpatient clinic as they grow. In my experience, spitting up is among the top concerns for mothers within the first few months of their babies’ lives. And why shouldn’t it be? More than half of all infants spit up daily. Well, before I give you some tips to help you manage this at home, I’d love to review some information that we as pediatricians keep in mind when we hear the words “spit up.”
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Important information every parent of a child with asthma needs to know
As I pass the halfway mark in my first year as a pediatric resident, I have seen many patients come through the emergency department with asthma, whether it’s for difficulty breathing or cough or chest tightness. All too often though, I find that many parents are unsure of which medicines to give when their child’s asthma is causing problems. This is usually because there are multiple inhalers at home and there can be confusion about which inhaler to give and when. With this post, we will review asthma and go over the differences between inhalers as well as when to use them.
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Do You Know What to do if Your Child is Choking?
It is the nightmare scenario that can send any parent into a cold sweat: what if my child is choking and I don’t know how to help him?
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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.
