Spring is just around the corner, and along with the sun and beautiful weather also comes the dreaded allergies! No one wants to be sniffling and sneezing during this beautiful season so here are a few tips to relieve your allergies. Instead of having to skip the sunshine, there are plenty of things you can do to say ‘so long’ to the side effects of pollen.
by JoAnn Deak, Ph.D.
It has become a common statement emanating from the mouths of parents: I wish my teen came with an owner’s manual! For years we have relied on the wisdom of past generations, our own upbringing and a host of books, articles and now, blogs filled with ‘expert’s’ advice.
Research then entered the picture; giving parents more data based advice. One of the earliest and best examples was the study released from Harvard about fifteen years ago, dubbed ‘raising the water level.’ In that study, children whose parents allowed them more freedom of movement and exploration during the toddler years showed a significant difference in intellectual development. This was accomplished by moving harmful objects up out of the reach of children so that they were not constantly stopped from exploring and touching and movement. The older they got and the farther they could reach or move, the higher things were raised above their grasp. In other words, ‘raising the water level’ raised the richness of their experiences, and thus enhanced their growing brains.
by Mina Frannea
Can you imagine having to face turning off life support for your child? That’s what Jahi McMath’s family have been dealing with for the last couple of weeks. Jahi, a vibrant 13-year-old went in for ‘routine’ tonsil surgery at Children’s Hospital Oakland to treat sleep apnea issues. Shortly after the surgery, Jahi suffered severe complications that left the teen brain dead and on a ventilator.
On Dec 12, Doctor’s at the hospital declared Jahi legally dead and were planning to remove her from the ventilator. Jahi’s family took legal measures to stop this action and and received a restraining order from a judge that stops the hospital from turning off life support. This ruling gives Jahi’s family until 5 p.m. Jan. 7, 2014 to appeal to a higher court and find a new facility to which they can transfer the 13-year-old.
