A food diary can be a useful way to keep track of the foods your kids are eating. There are many possible reasons to use a food diary with kids, such as to make sure that they are getting enough fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals from all of the different food groups. Your child’s pediatrician or dietitian may also instruct you to use a food diary to monitor various health issues or conditions....
What Is a Longitudinal Study? A longitudinal study is a type of correlational research study that involves looking at variables over an extended period of time. This research can take place over a period of weeks, months, or even years. In some cases, longitudinal studies can last several decades. Data is first collected at the outset of the study, and may then be repeatedly gathered throughout the length of the study....
On an airplane, at the park, in a restaurant, or at a birthday party—it doesn’t matter where it happens. When another parent yells at your child it can be unnerving. Feeling protective of your child, confused by the other adult’s behavior, or even angry or upset are all typical feelings parents can experience when another person not only disciplines your child but yells at them in the process. “These situations are often stressful and bring forth a variety of emotions such as shock, worry, and frustration,” says Brittany Schaffner, IMFT-S, LPCC-S, a crisis education supervisor for the Behavioral Health Pavilion and Nationwide Children’s Hospital....
Everyone goes through periods of feeling anxious and worried. After all, it’s a normal human experience. And whether you’re dealing with occasional bouts of anxiety or trying to manage excessive worries, doubts, and fears, having tools to help you calm your mind and body can reduce the intensity and duration of these feelings. Here are nine strategies that can relax your mind, ease your anxiety, and help you regain control of your thoughts so that you can feel better....
Statistics on job growth show that 1 million jobs were added to the American economy in July. Only 235,000 jobs were added in August—about half of the monthly average for this year. Still, these new positions helped the unemployment rate continue to fall in August to 5.2%. Despite overall lower rates of unemployment, some people—especially those who have marginalized experiences—struggle with job insecurity and joblessness. Key Takeaways According to recent statistics, the unemployment rate continues to fall....
After bringing your little one home from the hospital, you want to be the best parent you can possibly be. For some people, that means breastfeeding. And while breastfeeding can be difficult in its own right, dealing with the aches and pains that come with the postpartum period, such as constipation, can really knock you out. While you may have strategies that worked in the past to fight constipation, when you’re spending so much energy breastfeeding it’s fair to look for a quick fix....
Dealing with a chronic health condition can take its toll. According to a recently published study in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, navigating two or more physical long-term health conditions was associated with subsequent depression and anxiety concerns. Key Takeaways Dealing with two or more physical long-term health conditions increases the risk of depression and anxiety. Respiratory and gastrointestinal/pain conditions were the strongest predictors of depression and anxiety. With COVID-19 putting a necessary focus on health for many, this may be an opportune time to better understand the impact of multiple physical health conditions on one’s ability to be functioning well mentally....
It is considered the most effective non-medical intervention to manage insomnia. The American College of Physicians (ACP) considers CBT-i as the first line of defense against insomnia and recommends that it be tried before medication. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i) is a type of short-term therapy model that specifically addresses chronic insomnia. Patients are treated over the course of about 6 to 8 weeks. The therapy has five main components:...
Breastfeeding can be a hugely rewarding experience. But it doesn’t always go as planned. Supply issues, sore nipples, plugged milk ducts, and mastitis (inflammation in breast tissue that sometimes leads to infection) are some of the challenges nursing parents face. Or, perhaps it’s your little bundle of joy who’s causing the problem. Some babies bite, scratch, and tug during breastfeeding—and it can be pretty painful. Here’s how to deal with this unwanted behavior....
Parenting a 7-year-old can be a wonderful experience. You are now entering the middle childhood phase with your child. This means that your child is still dependent on you for many things, but is also becoming independent. They are social and crave friendships with their peers, but are also happy to hang out with their parents. Some call this time the “sweet spot” of parenting. You are going to see a lot of exciting developments in the next year....
It’s well-established that drinking during pregnancy carries serious risks for an unborn baby. But lesser known are the risks of drinking before pregnancy occurs while you are trying to conceive. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that three out of four women consume alcoholic beverages while trying to get pregnant. Here’s what you need to know about the recommendations for alcohol use during preconception. Early Pregnancy and Drinking What if alcohol was consumed before you knew you were pregnant?...
If you are a new parent, you may have wondered, does swaddling increase a baby’s risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) A 2016 study in Pediatrics, the official journal of The Academy of American Pediatrics, warned parents that swaddling a baby during sleep increases the likelihood of SIDS. What does this new information mean to sleep-deprived new parents and tiny newborns looking to find security and comfort in their new world?...
Eating disorders have historically been believed to primarily afflict heterosexual, affluent, cisgender, thin, white women. This inaccurate stereotype decreases the likelihood that people with eating disorders who are same/similar gender attracted, low-income, of color, fat, and/or transgender will be diagnosed and receive quality treatment. In particular, transgender people represent an understudied and under-recognized group that experiences eating disorders at higher rates. Eating disorder research is already underfunded, which means that there is an even greater disparity in research about transgender people with eating disorders....
George Kelly was a psychologist best known for his contributions to personal construct theory. This theory suggests that each person has their own mental framework from which they see the world. People develop their own constructs, or schemas, that they then use to interpret information and experiences. Kelly is commonly referred to as the founder of cognitive clinical psychology. He played a role in the early development of the field of cognitive psychology....
There are a limited number of grants and scholarships available for infertility. Before you get too excited, you should know that applying isn’t necessarily free or simple. Most require some sort of application fee (some up to $100!), and the paperwork can be long and tedious to complete. Also, keep in mind: the grants rarely cover the entire fertility treatment bill. And many organizations require grant winners to agree to appear in public relations materials....
Operant conditioning is a learning process in which new behaviors are acquired and modified through their association with consequences. Reinforcing a behavior increases the likelihood it will occur again in the future while punishing a behavior decreases the likelihood that it will be repeated. In operant conditioning, schedules of reinforcement are an important component of the learning process. When and how often we reinforce a behavior can have a dramatic impact on the strength and rate of the response....
Perhaps you own some crystals or have seen them at a yoga or meditation studio, and you’re wondering how to meditate with crystals—or why someone would do so. The modern belief that crystals have healing powers traces back to Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. In Chinese medicine as well, crystals are believed to contain “qi,” or “life energy.” In the Buddhist faith, crystals are used as messengers to transmit various energies....
Living through the COVID-19 pandemic was stressful for everyone. However, research shows that children were particularly at risk for adverse impacts. Even as pandemic fears ebb, you may notice that your child’s stress levels have continued to rise instead of improving. Aside from all the changes and disruptions that kids experienced early on, the fear of the unknown may have created additional stress for them. While in many ways life has slowly returned to normal, new surges and variants can set off a new round of pandemic stress....
In order for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder to be made, there must also be a history of or a current manic or hypomanic episode. In bipolar I disorder, there doesn’t need to be a depressive episode, although in most cases, there is. In bipolar II, there needs to be the presence of a hypomanic and a major depressive episode over the course of the illness. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) contains a list of specific symptoms that may be present and specifies several rules about those symptoms....
Phenibut (β-phenyl-γ-aminobutyric acid) is a psychoactive medication developed in Russia during the nineteen-sixties. It was, and remains, approved there to treat a variety of disorders, including insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Because phenibut was never approved by the FDA, it remains unavailable here as a prescription medication. Although it is still unknown to most Americans, phenibut use has grown in recent years due to its widespread availability on the internet. Phenibut can now be easily purchased online as a “dietary supplement....
