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There are an estimated 2 million transgender people across the United States, and between one-quarter and one-half are parents. Yet, many more transgender and nonbinary individuals have a desire to have children but feel as though it’s not an option. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, says Dr. Brian Levine, MD, MS, FACOG, a board-certified physician in reproductive endocrinology and infertility and the practice director of the CCRM Fertility Clinic in New York City....

IEP stands for Individualized Education Program or Individualized Education Plan. You may also hear it called some permutation of those, like “Individualized Educational Plan” or “Individual Education Program.” They all mean the same thing—a legally binding document that spells out exactly what special education services your child will receive and why. The plan will include your child’s classification, placement, services such as a one-on-one aide and therapies, academic and behavioral goals, a behavior plan if needed, percentage of time in mainstream education, and progress reports from teachers and therapists....

Verywell Loved is a series on the dating and relationship topics people are talking about, with personal stories and expert advice to help you better understand your own experiences. Swipe left, swipe right, like a photo, start the chat, ghosted, repeat. There is a collective exhaustion around dating, and while finding love has never been easy, the mainstream strategy for courtship and potential mate shopping has managed to eliminate a huge component of what makes falling in love special: the mystery....

In some schools, structured character education is a part of the curriculum, right alongside reading, writing, and math. Schools seek to instill the values of integrity, respect, responsibility, fairness, honesty, caring, and citizenship in their students to strengthen the social fabric of the school and community. But building character for kids can’t just happen in the classroom. The qualities of character develop through an interplay of family, school, and community influences and the child’s individual temperament, experiences, and choices....

We usually experience our conscious selves as located within our bodies, but when you have an out-of-body experience it feels like your conscious self is separate and outside of your physical body. Out-of-body experiences are associated with a number of factors, including near-death experiences, sleep, and medical conditions like migraines and epilepsy. Despite a growing body of research on the topic, neuroscientists, cognitive researchers, and psychologists don’t have one single answer to the question of what causes out-of-body experiences....

What Is Eating Disorder Recovery Specialists (EDRS)? Eating Disorder Recovery Specialists (EDRS) is the first nationwide, in-home eating disorder recovery support program that provides support in your environment. EDRS was co-founded in 2013 by Greta Gleissner and Ashley Anderson, both New-York based psychotherapists. They currently have clinicians in more than 27 states including New York, California, Washington, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Ilinois, Pennysylvania, Washinton D.C., South Carolina, and several more. They offer a variety of transitional and supplemental eating disorder services, including therapeutic meal support, clinical coaching, and in-home cooking for early recovery....

You would do anything for your baby, and you are more than thrilled that he or she is finally here. While you wouldn’t trade your baby for the world, you may be feeling less-than-thrilled with at least one of the outcomes of your pregnancy: your post-pregnancy belly. Many women find that their body changes quite significantly after pregnancy, and often, those changes are most noticeable in the abdominal area. Your abdomen might look and feel different, and even if you return to your pre-pregnancy weight, you might still notice changes in your stomach....

If your child regularly experiences bothersome symptoms after eating, you may wonder if they have food sensitivity. For example, you may be concerned if they seem to get a tummyache each time they eat a certain food. Or if they tend to become noticeably irritable when they have a specific snack. While food allergies cause an immune response, the reactions caused by food sensitivities are more general, and often more subtle, says Camila Martin, MSRDN, CL, a pediatric clinical nutritionist at UW Health in Madison, Wisconsin....

When people think of hormone imbalances and hormone therapy, they usually think of women, who experience many significant hormonal changes as they move through (and beyond) their reproductive years. But males can experience hormonal imbalances and deficiencies as well, which can affect their growth, development, reproductive systems, and physical and mental health. Sometimes men and boys—or people born with male anatomy—are prescribed testosterone injections to remedy these issues. However, most experts caution that the testosterone injections—while helpful at times—should only be used in certain circumstances, and under the careful eye of a doctor....

Pregnancy is generally thought to last 40 weeks, although how long a pregnancy lasts can vary. In the past, full-term was used to describe pregnancy that lasted from three weeks before the due date to three weeks after (approximately 37 to 42 weeks). In late 2012, it was recognized that babies born at different times during that five-week window had varying outcomes and challenges. Statistically, babies born closer to 40 weeks did better....

Almost everyone has awoken in the night at least once to snorts, groans, or snores coming from the other side of the bed. But in these cases, a swift kick or shove of your partner typically quiets the freight train so you can roll over and go back to sleep. When you hear those sounds coming from your child’s room, however, it’s a different story. And while occasional snoring isn’t typically cause for concern in little ones, heavy or labored breathing on a regular basis may be a sign of something else going on—namely pediatric obstructive sleep apnea....

Whether alcohol and drug use is a factor or not, domestic violence and abuse is a very serious problem—for the victims and the abusers. Although studies seem to indicate some link between alcohol/drug misuse and domestic violence, others believe that they are two separate issues. Domestic abuse is not so much about a “loss of control” as it is about total control. Ironically, many batterers do not see themselves as perpetrators, but as victims....

Your newborn used to do nothing but eat and sleep. Sure, they didn’t sleep that many hours in a row, but you finally felt like you were getting into a good routine with them. You knew how to make them happy, how to settle them down, and how to keep their tummy full. But now, things have gone kind of haywire. For some reason, every evening at about 4 p.m., your baby gets extremely fussy....

Babies tend to like white noise. They’re used to it. Before making their grand debut, your baby spent their days and nights awash in the reassuring hum of human life. Your beating heart, the sound of the blood rushing around your body, and the rhythmic in and out of your every breath created a comforting cacophony somewhat akin to the roar of a vacuum. For comparison, the “shushing” sounds in utero range anywhere from 70 to 91 decibels, while a vacuum cleaner is typically 70 to 80 decibels....

You don’t know what to make of your child. Their behavior is puzzling and frustrating. Sometimes you wonder if they have ADHD, ODD, OCD, sensory integration disorder, or some other disorder or syndrome. You wonder if they have a learning disability. Or maybe, you think, they are lazy and irresponsible. Maybe, however, your child is gifted. How can you tell? Types of Giftedness First, it’s important to understand that giftedness is not just a matter of academic achievement....

About 1500 years ago, Polynesians made their way to a collection of islands in the Pacific Ocean and established what we now know as Hawaii. Over time, they developed the unique art, food, and even religions in Hawaii that make it such an iconic place in the world today. While browsing this list of Hawaiian baby names for boys and girls, you might notice that many of them sound quite similar....

As families consider the safety of returning to youth sports this fall, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) urges parents and caregivers to weigh all of the risks and rewards when making the choice to actually engage in sports during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key Takeaways As the summer draws to a close, parents are wondering whether fall sports are a safe option for their kids.The AAP recognizes the benefits of sports for kids but indicates there is a level of inherent risk for those who play this fall....

What Is Acoustic Trauma? Acoustic trauma is hearing loss that happens as a result of a sudden, loud noise, or from ongoing exposure to loud noises. Examples of loud noises that may cause acoustic trauma include gunshots or explosions near the ear. Continued exposure to loud music or machinery that emits high-volume sounds can also cause acoustic trauma. Many people experience acoustic trauma on the job, such as people who work in the military or the music business....

ADHD and anger can be connected, and some kids with ADHD experience frequent outbursts of anger. Adults with ADHD may also experience anger and irritability as well. Although common, these intense emotions affect relationships, impact behavior, and put a strain on family life. Understanding the causes of anger and frustration with ADHD, along with some strategies for managing these intense emotions, can help prevent these short bursts of anger from causing long-term damage....

What Is Adlerian Theory? This theory also focuses on the importance of social interactions and community involvement in order to promote individual growth. Adlerian Theory Adlerian theory is a holistic approach to psychology that emphasizes the importance of overcoming feelings of inferiority and gaining a sense of belonging in order to achieve success and happiness. This approach to therapy is based on the theories of Alfred Adler, an Austrian psychiatrist and one-time colleague of the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud....