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Solid foods 101: When and how to introduce to your baby
Written by Summer Vu, DO
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Shaken baby syndrome: A severe and disheartening form of child abuse
What parent hasn’t felt frustration and helplessness when unable to console their crying infant? Despite being stressed, something deep inside prevents us from inflicting harm to our children. Unfortunately, this impulse control is not present in some parents or caregivers, resulting in a child being vigorously shaken.
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Communicating with your child about the death of a family pet
I am an animal lover. For years, my pets were my “furry kids.” I played with them, loved them, and took care of them. They were my babies, especially my favorite cat, Zip. Then, like many other parents, I had an actual baby, and my “furry children” sort of slipped off their high-status pedestals! However, Zip was always special to me. She was a true member of our family.
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Planning “the talk”: The importance of establishing open communication with your teen
This post was written by the Clinical Social Work Team at Arnold Palmer Hospital and Winnie Palmer Hospital.
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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 -
Talking with your teen about obesity: it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it
In my years as a mental health counselor for Teen Xpress, I have worked with many teenagers that are battling weight problems. Obesity often leads to low self esteem, anger problems and depression. Often, we see obese teens that also have obese parents and other family members. Obesity can be caused by medical issues, but when it comes to teens, it is frequently due to unhealthy behaviors and coping skills. I have known many teens that report coping with feelings of sadness and loneliness by overeating. The overeating leads to weight gain, which leads to further feelings of isolation and depression. Teens quickly find themselves in a vicious cycle of unhealthy habits and emotional discord.
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Giving Hope a Fighting Chance with the support of Runway to Hope: Evie’s story
Just over three months before she would be blowing out three candles on her birthday cake, Evie Tanner was diagnosed with cancer. Medulloblastoma, a highly malignant brain tumor, starts in the base of the skull and tends to spread to other parts of the brain and the spinal cord.
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Meet Dr. DeCampli and Dr. Nykanen, Co-Directors of The Heart Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital
Dr. DeCampli, pediatric cardiac surgeon, and Dr. Nykanen, pediatric cardiologist at The Heart Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital, are best known for their skill and precision in the operating room, as well as their dedication to the care of kids battling congenital heart disease during outpatient visits and procedures.
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Facing the challenges of living with Type 1 Diabetes: JJ’s story
At 7 years old, JJ is a fun-loving, adventurous little boy. He is also living with type 1 diabetes, but he isn’t letting that hold him back from anything.
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Could your child be bullying others? How to know and how to stop it.
When you hear the word “bully,” what’s the image that comes to mind?
