Often, the difference between success and failure is a willingness to accept and learn from failure. A few weeks ago a teenager caught my attention with a T shirt that read, “I am not done until I have won.” Stepping to the side, I watched him walk away and wondered if he understood those complex […]
Anaphylaxis is dangerous. Up to 1000 people die each year in the US due to anaphylaxis. Foods are the most common cause. 30% of the time the trigger is a food allergy, and 90% of the time it is due to peanut or tree nut exposure. These reactions are difficult to predict since the severity […]
Breastfeeding is best for both mom and baby. Everyone knows breast milk is the best nourishment for a newborn infant. It protects your infant from infection, is easily digested, makes your baby smarter and lowers your child’s future risk of developing asthma, allergies, diabetes, obesity and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Benefits are not just for […]
Do you listen to your inner voice? The young girl turned towards me and asked, “What can I get you?” “A bag of corn,” I replied. The sack was overflowing with a dozen fresh ears just picked this morning. I grabbed the bulging bag with two hands to prevent the plastic from tearing and turned […]
Movie trailers and shopping malls have something in common. When walking through malls I frequently see parent and child interactions that remind me of movie trailers. Why does a screen filled with fleeting loud and emotional scenes heighten our awareness and willingness to return for more? This past week, while walking through an outdoor mall, […]
Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease. A bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi is transmitted to humans by the bite of certain ticks. Early symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and depression. A unique circular skin rash that is described as being a “bull’s eye” rash is also common. This infection and the symptoms can be eliminated through […]
A new infant in the family brings added responsibility to a parent. The delivery is tiring for both parents and fatigue is often accompanied by poor decision making. Take time before you leave the hospital to rest and catch up on your sleep. Consider allowing your infant to stay in the nursery while you take […]
Allergies are very common. Over fifty million people in the US have some type of allergy and thirteen million adults and four million children have asthma. If you have asthma you have an 80% risk of also having allergies. Most asthma symptoms begin after exposure to specific allergens and in children viral infections are the […]
I always rode a girl’s bike. My two older sisters shared two bikes. We called them red and blue. The red bike was much smaller and had solid rubber tires. The blue one had big balloon tires and was easier to ride with no hands. Sharing bikes meant I always rode a girl’s bike and […]
I turned off my reading lamp and wondered if I had made a bad decision. It had been raining all day, and the room was lit by my reading lamp and two basement windows. The room was nearly empty except for a cot, a desk piled high with books, a suitcase and two old leather […]
