Overcompensating

I’m sure the following scenario is something most of us have experienced at some point in our life. You twist your ankle, and while it doesn’t hurt bad enough for you to go to the doctor and get crutches, it does hurt when you walk. So, to avoid further injury, you try to keep weight off of the ankle, and, instead, you put more pressure on your healthy ankle. Over time, the injured ankle heals, but the other ankle, the one you didn’t twist, has also become sore due to all the extra strain you had been putting on it. … Continue reading →

Dealing with Constipation

Most kids experience the discomfort of constipation at one time or another. Just type the words “constipation” and “toddler” into your favorite search engine, and you’ll see hundreds of results from message board moms throughout the country. So, it would seem that the topic has been sufficiently covered. For our daughter, however, constipation is a more serious matter, and it will likely be one she will have to deal with for the rest of her life. In addition to being born with a detached esophagus, Lily was also diagnosed with an imperforated anus; instead of a normal anal opening, she … Continue reading →

When Your Newborn Has Special Needs

The days surrounding your baby’s birth should be full of joy and excitement. Yet when your newborn has a medical problem, or is at risk for developing a disease or disorder, those joyous feelings are often replaced with fear, sorrow, and even disappointment. You might learn that your baby will not be able to come home from the hospital as soon as you hoped. Your newborn might be covered with tubes and probes, instead of being the healthy cherubic infant you imagined. He or she might be kept under special care in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) or face … Continue reading →

Ten Ways to Help Your Child with Asthma Succeed in School

A child with asthma is eligible for special education, according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). Some parents don’t realize that their son or daughter with asthma can receive special accommodations in the classroom to help him or her have a better experience in school. “Special Education” does not only apply to children with learning disabilities and developmental delays. Children with chronic illnesses also have the right to receive an education in an environment that is sympathetic to their needs. Here are ten accommodations which can be made in the classroom to help your asthmatic … Continue reading →

Ten Ways to Help Your Child with Epilepsy Succeed in School

Childhood epilepsy can have a wide variety of causes. Head injury, infections of the brain, brain tumors, and genetic history could potentially be factors. However, in a great number of cases, no medical explanation for a child’s seizures can be determined. Children with epilepsy are eligible for special education, according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). As the parent of a child with epilepsy, there are adaptations in the regular classroom setting which you can request (and insist upon) for your child. An IEP meeting should be conducted where you can discuss these adaptations specifically … Continue reading →

Ten Signs that Your Child May Have Vision Problems

There are a number of vision disorders that affect children, some of which can cause permanent damage if not treated early. It’s true that newborns can see, but their vision continues to develop for many years as they grow. A child’s vision doesn’t finish developing until the age of nine. If you see any of these signs, it’s probably time to schedule a visit with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. It doesn’t necessarily mean the trouble is serious, but it’s certainly worth investigating further. Parents can’t expect their children to declare, “I’m having trouble seeing.” Many children have no idea they … Continue reading →

What is Muscular Dystrophy (MD)?

Muscular Dystrophy is the general term for nine kinds of genetic disorders causing degeneration of the skeletal muscles of the human body. Our bodies require and manufacture specific proteins to support muscle development (like “food” for the muscles). In muscular Dystrophy, an error in genetic information causes the body to manufacture those proteins improperly, or not at all. This causes the muscles to slowly deteriorate. Sometimes this deterioration becomes evident very early in life, and other times it doesn’t appear until well into adulthood. A common form of muscular dystrophy which appears in childhood is called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). … Continue reading →

Putting on a Brave Face: Children with Facial Disfigurements

Facial disfigurements can be caused by birth defects, genetic conditions, or traumatic injuries. Parents of children with facial disfigurements feel a tremendous amount of pain for their child’s sake. That’s because they recognize that going out into the world with a facial difference takes an enormous amount of courage. Children with facial differences are often teased, bullied, humiliated, and shunned. “I know what it is to be left out of things. On more than one occasion, kids would whisper behind my back, sometimes even throw things at me. I never knew what it was like to have a boyfriend much … Continue reading →