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Brands and influencers that stoop to using prosocial messaging on social media solely for personal or corporate gain might think they’re pulling a fast one on consumers, but a new study suggests these tactics might actually backfire on them. Key Takeaways The body positive movement has gained traction thanks, in part, to social media. But some individuals and brands co-opt the movement for personal or corporate gain.A recent study found that consumers recognize this disingenuous behavior, and it can harm not only the individual or company, but potentially the movement itself....

Most of us think of the weeks and months after welcoming a baby as a time of happiness and joy. After all, there is nothing sweeter than a tiny, bundled newborn. Yet for many new parents, the postpartum period can be fraught with challenging feelings. One feeling that some postpartum parents experience is anger. While this feeling may be normal at times, at other times, it may be a sign of a postpartum mood disorder....

It’s not surprising that a parent-child relationship filled with conflict or neglect would have a negative effect on kids’ emotional or mental health, but parenting style can also have an impact on a child’s physical health. Intriguing research has shown a link between the way a parent interacts with a child and physiological changes in kids. A 2016 study published in the Journal of Family Psychology looked at the link between parenting styles and inflammation and immune activation (which are risk factors for later illness) in kids....

When a child refuses to go to school, many parents of school-age children wonder what they’re doing wrong, but they are not alone. Estimates indicate that as many as 20% of children show signs of school refusal at one time or another during their school career. Dealing with school refusal relies on understanding what’s behind it and working with a team of professionals to help your child through this tough time....

If you have been falsely accused of child abuse, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, unfounded accusations of child abuse can be common. Particularly in high-conflict custody battles, tempers can escalate quickly. One parent may believe that accusing the other parent of child abuse will increase their own chances of winning custody. But it’s a flawed strategy. It’s true that judges err on the side of caution when it comes to children’s safety....

Many effective stress management techniques focus on the benefits of a positive outlook. Positive thinking brings great benefits, and a cheerful attitude can be contagious in the most enjoyable way. A constant focus on the negative can obscure many of the joys of life, can dampen an attitude of gratitude, and can be experienced as an “energy drain” to others. That said, complaining is a pastime that can be found in most groups, if not most people....

Listening to music can be a quick route to getting yourself into a better mood, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that there’s much more to the benefits of music than just a quick boost for your outlook. Research has shown that music has a profound effect on your body and psyche. In fact, there’s a growing field of healthcare known as music therapy, which uses music to heal. Those who practice music therapy are finding a benefit in using music to help cancer patients, children with ADD, and others, and even hospitals are beginning to use music and music therapy to help with pain management, to help ward off depression, to promote movement, to calm patients, to ease muscle tension, and for many other benefits that music and music therapy can bring....

Back-to-school anxiety is normal and understandable. Many kids may feel anxious about going back to school after a long summer break. Others may feel nervous about starting school for the first time. Regardless of what the case may be, parents can help ease the transition back to school by being able to recognize the symptoms of stress and anxiety and implementing some creative strategies. Reasons Kids Might Be Stressed or Anxious Some kids’ worries are rooted in a fear of the unknown, especially if they will be in a new building or a new school district....

COVID-19, originally treated as an acute respiratory illness, is a virus with symptoms that can linger in patients—with some still encountering challenges over a year after their symptoms first emerged. “Long COVID” and “post-COVID” conditions refer to health problems that patients experience more than four weeks after initial infection. The stress of these lingering symptoms can take a real toll on mental health. Key Takeaways Long-haul COVID (sometimes referred to as post-COVID) conditions refer to symptoms that persist for more than one month following onset, most commonly causing ongoing respiratory and neurological challenges in addition to other systemic health concerns....

The reports of E. coli cases among children North Carolina caused by a petting zoo at the State Fair has raised awareness of this serious illness. According to the CDC, people usually get E. coli infections from “consumption of contaminated food…unpasteurized (raw) milk, [and] consumption of water that has not been disinfected.” You can also become infected by eating food prepared by someone who didn’t wash their hands after using the toilet....

Understandably, there is a lot of focus on ensuring that you don’t gain too much weight in pregnancy, as over 50% of pregnant people gain more than their weight gain goals. However, some people actually need to gain more weight than they have been gaining. Approximately 20% of pregnant people may not gain enough weight to adequately fuel their growing babies and pregnant bodies. Additionally, studies show that inadequate weight gain poses serious risks to the baby, including low birth weight, less likelihood of breastfeeding, and increased odds of death in infancy....

Providing children with a well-balanced diet is essential for growth, wellness, and development. Some parents follow special diets due to religious beliefs, ethical values, or sustainability. Many parents want to know if raising their children on a special diet is safe and healthy. For example, can your child also be a vegetarian if you are a vegetarian? Depending on the diet, the answer is usually yes. But there is a caveat; you must develop meal plans that ensure your child receives all the nutrients needed for adequate growth and development....

Many pregnant people experience light-headedness or dizziness and wonder if or when they should be worried. During pregnancy, your body undergoes a lot of changes, and some of them may make you more apt to feel dizzy or light-headed. Some pregnant people even faint during pregnancy. While fainting does not happen to every pregnant person, dizziness is a very common and normal pregnancy symptom. Causes of feeling dizzy during pregnancy include the significant increase in blood volume that occurs and the weight of the growing uterus on your blood vessels....

Premature babies, also known as preemies, are born before 37 weeks of gestation. Many preemies, and other newborns with health conditions, need to be cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). While there, they usually spend most of their time in an incubator. A NICU incubator helps provide a baby with the environmental conditions they need to thrive. Why Babies Need an Incubator We often think of incubators (and NICUs in general) as being just for premature babies....

Learning disabilities in basic writing skills affect the learner’s ability to write words with correct spelling, appropriate word choice and basic mechanics, such as letter formation, grammar, and punctuation. Learning disabilities in basic writing are sometimes referred to as dysgraphia. Get the facts on such disorders and how they’re treated with this review of basic writing disabilities. People with learning disabilities in basic writing may not understand the relationship between letters and the sounds they represent and often cannot distinguish the correct written word from the incorrect word....

Winter means different things to different people. Many revel in the cold air, winter sports, and the holiday season. Some feel a sense of renewal as they huddle inside during the long, dark nights. For a surprisingly large number of us, however, winter is a season filled with dread, sadness and a fervent wish for spring to arrive. Winter-related phobias run the gamut from the fear of snow to the fear of being trapped....

Almost 53 million adults in the United States had mental illness issues in 2020. Close to 8 million adolescents aged 6 to 17 dealt with a mental health disorder in 2017. The COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and numerous other current events have exacerbated these mental health concerns. Key Takeaways Plant-based supplements can help treat mental health issues.Supplements may not be as effective in treating more serious conditions.Natural supplements can cause adverse reactions with other medications; patients should consult their doctors before starting a new regimen....

Schizophrenia is a serious psychiatric condition involving severe symptoms that affect how you think, act or feel. Schizophreniform disorder is a mental health condition that is similar to schizophrenia, however, schizophreniform disorder has a limited duration. Both conditions involve psychosis (hearing, seeing, or feeling things that don’t exist) and other psychotic symptoms such as delusions (belief in something untrue or irrational), hallucinations, and disorganized thinking. The symptoms of both conditions are severe and impact daily functioning....

It is normal to feel uncomfortable or even anxious if someone is staring at you in an unusual way. It is also normal to feel nervous in a public speaking or performance situation. Scopophobia is more serious, however. People with this phobia may feel that others are scrutinizing and examining them, which creates feelings of distress, discomfort, and fear. Scopophobia, also known as scoptophobia, is the fear of being stared at....

What Is Separation Anxiety? Separation anxiety is loosely defined as the fear of being away from the primary caregiver. The most common way for children to act out their fears of separation is through tantrums and clinging. Separation anxiety a healthy and normal part of your child’s development between the ages of 8 and 14 months. Separation anxiety disorder, on the other hand, is a diagnosis for children who fall outside the boundaries of this otherwise normal developmental stage....