Posts

Respiratory distress syndrome, or RDS, in premature babies is one of the more common health problems caused by being born early. Immature lungs are the culprit in RDS, which causes difficulty breathing. Your Premature Baby’s Lungs The working parts of the lungs are the alveoli, tiny sacs in the lungs that inflate with air when we breathe. Alveoli are covered with tiny blood vessels that carry oxygen from the air we breathe to the rest of the body....

Teen pregnancy has declined in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that teen pregnancy is at an historic low in the U.S., but the reason isn’t exactly clear. Some experts suspect that teens today are delaying or reducing their sexual activity. Others believe that teens are becoming more educated about birth control methods and being more proactive about preventing pregnancy. That said, teen pregnancy does still happen....

While antidepressants have been shown to be effective in treating major depression and anxiety in children and teens, they need to be used cautiously and monitored closely to make sure there are no serious side effects. What to Do If Your Child Is Anxious or Depressed Before your child starts on an antidepressant, their doctor will want to conduct a physical exam and take their medical history to rule out any medical condition that may be causing their symptoms....

A virus called the tomato flu is spreading in India, especially among young children. Named for the red blisters that appear on the skin, it turns out that the tomato flu is not a new virus as it was initially thought to be. Rather, experts now say it’s a presentation of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), a non-serious but highly contagious virus that disproportionately affects pediatric populations. Key Takeaways...

You’ve probably heard that it’s a smart idea to pee right after sex because it can prevent urinary tract infections. But you may be unsure if this is a practice you should continue when you are trying to conceive. After all, aren’t you supposed to lie down flat after sex to maximize your chances of conception? If you are wondering if peeing after sex is okay or not, you are far from alone....

Do you ever find yourself losing track of what day it is when you go on vacation? It can be somewhat unsettling, even if the feeling is only temporary. Imagine how your preschooler feels when they ask, “When am I sleeping over at grandma’s house?” and you respond, “Saturday.” That’s all well and good, but when is Saturday? Is it now? How long will it take to get here? Overview Once a preschooler hits age 3 or 4, they can start to understand and learn the days of the week....

You have probably heard of both mindfulness and art therapy—but have you heard of mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT)? This relatively new concept was first formally introduced by psychologist and writer Laury Rappaport in 2009 in her book “Mindfulness and the Arts Therapies.” In its simplest sense, MBAT combines the benefits of mindfulness training (for example, meditation) within the structure of an art therapy framework. Definition of MBAT There are several components that are involved in creating the concept of mindfulness-based art therapy....

Chronic hypertension is a complication that affects up to 6% of pregnant people in the United States. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) describes it as high blood pressure that develops before pregnancy or during the first half of pregnancy. If someone was taking blood pressure medication before they got pregnant—even if their blood pressure is currently normal—they are considered to have chronic hypertension. Key Takeaways Chronic hypertension during pregnancy is high blood pressure before getting pregnant or during the first half of pregnancy....

The terminology associated with a twin pregnancy can be confusing and overwhelming. Finding out that you’re having twins is just the beginning of an exciting experience. Along with adjusting to the idea of having two babies at once, there is a lot to learn. Here’s a guide to understanding these terms, and what they mean for the developing fetuses. During a twin pregnancy, you may have heard the terms “Di/Di” or “Mo/Di” used to describe twins....

What Is Binge Drinking? Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking behavior that rapidly brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration level (BAC) to 0.80 g/dl or higher. While it varies for each person, this threshold usually means consuming around four (for women) or five (for men) alcoholic drinks over a two-hour period. Binge drinking is not recognized as a distinct condition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the resource that doctors and mental health professionals utilize to diagnose the entire spectrum of mental disorders....

If you’re an adoptive parent, you may worry about when and how to tell your child they were adopted. You may wonder how they will react, what kinds of questions they will have, whether they will want to find their birth parents, and how the disclosure will affect their relationship with you. Trying to figure out the best way to have this conversation can be stressful. If you’re in this predicament, you’re not alone....

Aaron is a Hebrew name typically given to boys. It means “exalted” or “strong.” It has also been interpreted to mean “teacher” or “mountain of strength.” While it’s spelled Aharon in Hebrew, the “h” is dropped in the Greek variation. Aaron is the version that has been adapted in English. In Arabic, the name means “messenger.” The origin of the name has often been debated: While some people trace it to Hebrew origins, other people think that it may be from Greece or Ancient Egypt....

Active listening is a communication skill that involves going beyond simply hearing the words that another person speaks but also seeking to understand the meaning and intent behind them. It requires being an active participant in the communication process. Active listening techniques include: Being fully present in the conversationShowing interest by practicing good eye contactNoticing (and using) non-verbal cuesAsking open-ended questions to encourage further responsesParaphrasing and reflecting back what has been saidListening to understand rather than to respondWithholding judgment and advice In communication, active listening is important because it keeps you engaged with your conversation partner in a positive way....

Heroin addiction is a recognized mental disorder and is classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as opioid use disorder, although heroin is just one of several opioids that people can become dependent on. More and more people are becoming addicted to prescription opioid painkillers, and the lines are blurring between these formerly very different groups of drug users. Research shows that compared to users of other illicit drugs, such as cannabis, ​meth, and cocaine, people addicted to heroin may have a tougher time....

Many parents are concerned about the mental health of their children at this time. President Biden’s recent announcement of $10.7 million from HHS and $74.2 million from SAMHSA bodes well for addressing these needs. Key Takeaways The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded $10.7 million as part of the American Rescue Plan for the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program.The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded $74....

G. Stanley Hall was a psychologist perhaps best known as the first American to earn a Ph.D. in psychology and for becoming the first president of the American Psychological Association. He also had a significant influence on the early development of psychology in the United States. Through his work as a teacher, he influenced a number of other leading psychologists, including John Dewey and Lewis Terman. According to a 2002 review of eminent psychologists of the twentieth century, Hall was ranked as the 72nd most influential psychologist, a ranking he shared with his student Lewis Terman....

You likely came across a litany of things that you should avoid from the moment you found out you were pregnant or started planning to try—and that list can seem endless. Among the no-nos, some seemingly innocuous foods, activities, and products may have surprised you. Another product to add to the list is retinol, which should be avoided during pregnancy. If you are unfamiliar with retinol, think of it as a multitasking skincare powerhouse....

Despite being a joyful and exciting time, pregnancy comes with its fair share of discomforts and health woes, one of the most common of which is constipation. In fact, 75% of people experience some sort of GI disorder during their first trimester, which can be annoying at best and debilitating at worst. There are multiple options at the drugstore for treating constipation and other digestive issues, one of which is MiraLAX (polyethylene glycol 3350)....

Many pediatricians and parents have been very happy with Varivax, the chickenpox vaccine. History of the Chickenpox Vaccine Although the chickenpox vaccine was first developed in Japan in 1974, it wasn’t until 1995 that it became approved in the United States and was added to the immunization schedule. Before the chickenpox vaccine began to be routinely used, chickenpox (varicella) was a very common childhood illness. Even when it wasn’t serious, it still left children miserable for at least a week....

Thanatophobia is an unusual or abnormal fear of personally dying and/or being dead that impacts the otherwise “normal” or healthy functioning of the person possessing this fear that might appear disproportionate to an outsider relative to the actual risk or threat the individual faces. While most people generally experience some level of discomfort or anxiety when confronted with the reality of human mortality in a dying/death situation such as in a hospital, home, or hospice during the dying process, or during a funeral, memorial, or interment service after a loved one dies, this uneasiness does not generally constitute thanatophobia (although this term is sometimes misapplied in these instances)....