All Search Results
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A Day in the Life of a Child Life Specialist
For a child life specialist at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, no two days are the same. The Child Life Program offers
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If you have a picky eater, try food chaining
Have a picky eater in your house? Don’t fret. I have a few tools that have created successful mealtimes for kids and their parents time and time again.
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What you should know if your child is double-jointed?
As an occupational therapist, I work with kids and their parents who have been told they have joint hypermobility, sometimes known as being “double jointed.” This might make it sound like the child has twice as many joints, but it simply means that a child’s joint is moving past the expected range. Joint hypermobility occurs when the soft tissues that surround and support each joint (also known as connective tissue) stretch more than usual and cause the joint to go beyond the normal range of motion. This can cause pain or discomfort and is often confused with or dismissed as general growing pains. Joint hypermobility is common in childhood, occurring in eight to 39 percent of school-aged children. Girls are generally more hypermobile than boys.
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How becoming a mother has helped me become a better Child Life Specialist
No one can fully prepare you for how much becoming a mother changes you. The worries, fears, and joy all seem to multiply when a bouncing baby enters your life. As a Child Life Specialist, I thought I was prepared to combine motherhood and professional practice. As it turns out, I learned a lot, and I still have plenty more to go! Motherhood has changed the way I view parents and families who have to experience the hospitalization of their babies- and I include kids of ALL ages! I know that no matter how old they are, they are always our babies- whether they like it or not!
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How to introduce your baby to solid foods
It can be an exciting and messy time when it comes to introducing solid foods to young infants. With all the foods that are located on the market, it can be hard to figure out what your baby should be receiving. It also can be difficult to think about when to start them on this journey. Every parent is going to reach this milestone, and it is important to know what to look for when this time comes.
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What every parent needs to know about protecting children from the sun
During the summer months, I am often asked by parents about sun protection. There are many products and sunscreens available, and it can often be challenging to determine what products are best for your child.
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Fireworks injuries skyrocket: what you need to know to keep your kids safe
Pediatricians have always been concerned about kids and fireworks, but now we have even more reason to be alarmed. New data shows a dramatic increase in the number of children seriously injured by these holiday festivities. Since 2006, the number of children injured by fireworks who were treated in the emergency room and released increased modestly, but the number of children who were treated in the emergency room then admitted to the hospital for further care increased a whopping 50% from previous years. These figures demonstrate that not only are more children getting hurt, but they are receiving serious and sometimes life-threatening injuries.
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How do we talk to our kids in the aftermath of tragedy?
It’s hard to know what to say to each other, ourselves, but especially, our children. Once again, we all woke up to news that there was a horrific mass shooting- and for those of us in Central Florida, it was reminder of what previously took place right in our own backyard.
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Should you give your kids dessert before dinner is done? A dietitian’s answer might surprise you.
Like me, many children are fixated on that sweet treat after dinner. It can be that package of fruit snack gummies, chocolate chip cookie or that double fudge caramel brownie, pretty much anything sweet that catches their attention. During dinner, many kids wait impatiently for dessert to be available to the family, even when they feel full from dinner. Many kids have caught on to the idea of skipping dinner just because they know dessert is coming next. This is often when parents start making “dinner deals” with their kids, just so they can eat something on their plate. These deals can range anywhere from “you can have dessert if you eat your vegetables” or “if you do not try every food on your plate, you will not get a cookie”. When these “dinner deals” begin, it often gives kids the wrong impression – dinner is a punishment and dessert is the reward.
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How long is it okay for my child to suck on a thumb or pacifier?
As parents, you may worry about your child sucking his or her thumb or a pacifier, but it’s important to remember that sucking is one of an infant's natural reflexes that they start even in the womb. Infants and young children may also suck on their fingers or other objects because it makes them feel happy and safe, and it helps them to learn and explore their world. It also helps them feel safe during difficult periods, such as when they are separated from their parents or if they are in a new and unfamiliar environment. Sucking may also be relaxing and, for some children, can help them get to sleep.
