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My Baby’s Crying Again — What Does It Mean?

For new parents, figuring out the cause of a baby’s cries can be a daunting challenge, especially since one sob can sound quite different from the next. Still, this is hardly an impossible task. You just need to keep in mind that babies don’t cry only because they’re hungry. Each of these outbursts offers an opportunity to learn more about your child’s needs.

See Emily's open-heart surgery as it happens

We followed 3 year old Emily Stone through heart surgery to repair a heart defect called tricuspid atresia, meaning her heart only has one chamber. We captured her surgery through Instagram as it happened, posting updates and pictures every few minutes so that her story could be followed in real time. Below are the photos and a timeline of events throughout the surgery. Emily's surgery was successful and we wish her the best as she gets back to being a normal little girl again.

What to Know About Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease is the name of an inherited problem with red blood cells. Most people have red blood cells that are disc-shaped and move easily through blood vessels, but those with sickle cell have red blood cells that are C-shaped (like the farm tool called a sickle). The unusual shape of red blood cells, as well as their tendency to harden and become sticky as they travel through blood vessels, causes a variety of problems.

What new moms should know about breastfeeding

For first time mothers, learning the “art” of breastfeeding can be difficult. However, like with any other important skill, breastfeeding takes practice. While all Moms and babies are unique, the following tips will help make learning how to breastfeed as easy as possible.

What have we learned in the wake of the Penn State scandal?

Recently there has been much discussion about the disturbing events involving a former Penn State football coach and allegations of sexual abuse of several children.  Serious questions have been raised in this case regarding the role and responsibility of adults who have direct knowledge or suspicions of child abuse to report their concerns to the proper authorities. Sadly, media reports reveal that the failure of adults to report suspected abuse is not isolated to this one university, sports team or organization.

Most teens want to build muscle, even if it means going to great (and unhealthy) lengths

Gym rats, pro athletes, and teens- what do these three groups of people have in common? They all want to build muscle, and may even go to great lengths to do so. It is common to hear of gym rats, and even some pro athletes (even if it’s against regulations), who use steroids, or other muscle-enhancing supplements to help gain muscle mass, but now teens are mirroring these risky behaviors, too. While it’s great that teens have an increased interest in exercising, the desire for a certain body type can lead teens down a slippery slope of dangerous behaviors.

The Study

The one thing your children must learn to be successful in school and life

When we talk about preparing our kids for the future, we usually focus on the concrete challenges before us- teaching our preschooler their letters and numbers, helping our kindergartener learn to read, expecting our elementary school kids to come home with A’s on their report cards or pushing older kids to compete in sports and extracurricular activities.

Through the Eyes of a Childhood Cancer Survivor: 5 Ways Life Changes after Cancer

“Pray for me, it’s cancer.” This was my first Facebook status update following my official diagnosis with liver cancer at 16 years old. Looking through my Facebook now, there’s photos of my beautiful bride and I celebrating with our closest friends and family - including my former oncologist, Dr. Eslin. While the journey was anything but easy, I am so thankful to have gone through it with my medical team/family at Arnold Palmer Hospital. As a childhood cancer survivor who just celebrated the five-year cancer-free mark, here are the biggest changes I’ve come across as an adult:

The many ways teens act out to harm themselves- and what you can do about it (Part 3 of 3)

I hope that by reading Parts One rel="noopener noreferrer" and Two of this series where we talked about the different ways self harm can manifest itself in teenagers and the different reasons why teens engage in self harm, you’ve gained a wider perspective about self-harming behaviors, what they are and why teens do it. This topic is often clouded in misconceptions and caregivers often assume their teen knows better than that. However, even if your teen does know better than that, it is important to be prepared in the event he starts doing it. Our responses as caregivers are the most important factors in helping them stop. This third part will offer practical ideas to help teens who self-harm.

The difference between a children’s emergency room and an adult emergency room that every parent should know

No one plans to end up in the emergency room. It just happens, usually when we least expect it. When our children become sick or injured, we are faced with difficult choices. Where is the best place to get care for my child? How do I know there isn’t something seriously wrong? Can I trust these caregivers to do the right thing for my kid?