In This Issue: Fall 2004
Mention mentoring, and many of us think of schools or businesses. But pediatrician Siga Lenkauskas, MD, suggests a family-based spin on the familiar buddy system. "We want our daughters to grow up to be strong, self-confident young women. One of the best resources parents have is good examples, older girls and women who have arrived at a place their girls want to be, in a way they want to emulate... [more]
Yesterday your toddler loved beets and couldn't get enough green beans. Today, she wants nothing to do with them and only eats animal crackers. It's enough to drive a health-conscious parent to distraction. But it's nothing to worry about, says Kathy Santoro, MEd, RD, LD, CSP, a dietitian on the Feeding Team at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center...[more]
See a tooth? Get a dentist. For Jim Steiner, DDS, that sums up the timing for parents wondering about their child's first dental exam. "When that first tooth comes in, at about six months, ideally that infant should go to a pediatric dentist. Your child should definitely see a dentist by one year of age."...[more]
Loud noises. Bright lights. A swift change in weather. These occurrences are annoying to all of us, but to Kelly Marasco these annoyances impair her daily activities. Diagnosed at the young age of 18 months with chronic migraines, Kelly can't recall a time when she did not have them. "My mom has told me many stories of when I was young about the migraines and the doctors' visits. There is not an age in my life where I don't remember getting migraines... [more]
There may be no blackboards or computer banks, but a child's home is his first classroom. As children move into traditional schooling, their earliest teachers – their parents – remain vital influences in their educational success. "Children benefit tremendously when their parents help them bridge their two most important worlds, home and school," said William Sirbu, PhD, in the Division of Psychology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center...[more]
Children of all ages experience all kinds of headaches. "A single headache is fairly common," explains Andrew Hershey, MD, PhD, director of the Headache Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. "By the age of 5, 25 percent of children will have a single, significant headache episode. By age 15, 75 percent will experience a headache." For some, headaches continue to recur – in up to 10 percent of children ages 5 to 15 and in as many as 28 percent of girls and 14 percent of boys ages 15 to 19... [more]
When I first was asked this question, my response was a resounding yes! With many families scheduling – or rather over-scheduling – both the parents and kids, it is important to have time for a family to develop their own relationships. Not so long ago, "family time" occurred at the dinner table, where we learned life-long conversational and social skills. But the most important reason to eat together without rushing... [more]
When Sarah Campbell was just 9 years old, she was sent to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center with severe leg pain. Her family found out she had a tumor, 6 inches long and in the shape of an ice cream cone, wrapped entirely around her right knee. She was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a form of bone cancer.For the next six years, Sarah battled her cancer with a strong determination. Amputation was suggested right away...[more]
