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Communication doesn’t always refer to speaking, although it’s still important to speak with your nonverbal child. Each child responds differently to various kinds of communication; find out what works best for your child, and then use it regularly. Talk with their teachers, therapists, and providers about different techniques and strategies you might be able to utilize. When you have a system that works, let them know about it so that everyone can communicate with your child in a way that works....

Why Does Fatigue Occur During Pregnancy? Numerous physical, emotional, and hormonal changes during pregnancy can lower your energy levels and cause fatigue. Contributing factors can include: Back, hip, and pelvic painDigestion issuesIncreased levels of estrogen and progesteroneInsomniaLower blood pressure and blood sugarMorning sicknessStress and anxiety First Trimester For the first trimester, your body is working overtime—creating a placenta and revving up to provide the nutrition and support needed by a growing baby....

But of course, as soon as one school year winds down, another one begins. Many of us are already wondering what the 2022-2023 school year has in store for us in terms of COVID-19 protocols. We reached out to experts, educators, and parents to share their thoughts and predictions about the next school year and what to expect when it comes to COVID-19 mitigations. What The 2021-2022 School Year Looked Like First, it’s important to understand that when it came to COVID-19 protocols for this past school year, both parents and educators had wildly different experiences based on factors such as where they were located, what type of school their children attended, and how old their children were....

Introducing Your Date to Your Kids A lot of single parents ask, “When should I introduce my kids to the person I’m dating?” Peter Sheras, a clinical psychologist at the University of Virginia, and the author of I Can’t Believe You Went Through My Stuff!: How to Give Your Teens the Privacy They Crave and the Guidance They Need, advises parents to first examine the quality of the dating relationship before worrying about how or when to introduce the kids....

“You are stepping into a beautiful but also challenging time,” says Victoria Tenenbaum, a board-certified behavior analyst who holds a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in applied behavior analysis. She adds that babies learn from their environment, and parents and caregivers are the role models that they observe and follow in order to learn about the world around them. Knowing how to set boundaries, encourage positive behaviors, help them explore their environment, and let them get a little messy every now and then will help you enjoy this transitional phase to toddlerhood....

Children often experience a significant and obvious change in one domain at a time. For example, if a child is focusing on learning to walk, which is in the physical domain, you may not notice as much language development, or new words, until they have mastered walking. It might seem like a particular domain is the only one experiencing developmental change during different periods of a child’s life, but change typically occurs in the other domains as well—just more gradually and less prominently....

Statistics Edwards Syndrome is occurs in 1 out of every 4,000 births. However, the incidence during pregnancy is much higher because it may be unrecognized. Many women whose fetus has trisomy 18 have a miscarriage or stillbirth. Sadly, the outcomes for babies born with Edwards Syndrome are not good, including: Half of the infants do not survive beyond the first week of life.About 90% to 95% of children will die before their first birthday....

Remember that any unprotected sex or artificial insemination around the time of ovulation may result in pregnancy for a fertile person, regardless of the position used. While there is no evidence-based research that suggests that certain sexual positions can improve your chance of conceiving, experts tend to agree that positions that allow for deeper penetration may help place sperm marginally closer to the cervix than others. We turned to some of those experts to learn more about the role sex position plays in conception, along with positions to avoid, and how this applies to queer couples, too....

But if you dive deeper, you’ll see that Noor shares the good, the bad, and the ugly in her life—including her struggle to get pregnant and a miscarriage that she says “broke her.” Although the Internet is not always a positive place, Noor turned to her followers for support and love, and they helped her through one of the toughest times of her life. Noor says she feels lucky to have created a community over the years who share her values and want to see more diversity in the world around them....

Published in JAMA Surgery, the guidelines note that opioid misuse is found to occur frequently, particularly for adolescents with access to opioids, and nonopioid regimens have been found to be effective enough to eliminate the need for these pain medications in many situations. The guidelines were developed through a review of research conducted from 1988 to 2019, and they excluded animal and experimental studies as well as case reports and editorials....

Previously, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said that masks weren’t necessary unless someone was symptomatic, meaning they were coughing and sneezing and had a fever. The thinking behind this decision was twofold: First, the CDC was concerned that people would begin hoarding masks that are in short supply and desperately needed by those in the medical field.Second, unless the masks are N-95 respirators, they don’t necessarily prevent people from getting the coronavirus, and they feared wearing them would give people a false sense of security....

While the increases might sound small, they add up—quickly—for a family of four. Suddenly snacks we couldn’t live without before are no longer must-haves, as our food spending habits have shifted. My household has felt the pinch of higher food costs at the grocery store. I’m sure yours has, too. In fact, experts say food costs worldwide have been soaring. “Consumers are spending about 20% more on food now than they were before the pandemic,” states Melissa Walsh, CFA, CFP, AIF, founder and president of Clarity Financial Design....

It is the name of the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. She was a deity who practiced a form of magical arts and divination that allowed practitioners to see and change the future. Freya was also ruler over the meadow where she received slain heroes of the battlefield. The mythological roots of this Nordic name are still evident today. The Danish national anthem honors the goddess Freya by referring to Denmark as the “hall of Freya....

Baking Soda Two tablespoons of baking soda in a warm bath will help heal diaper rash and lessen the redness associated with diaper rash. You don’t need to rub the area. Just let baby soak a little longer than usual in the bath, about 10 minutes, and wipe with a soft washcloth as you would normally during bath time. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar As little as a teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar, such as Bragg’s Raw Organic version, diluted with a half cup of water can help heal baby’s diapering irritation....

This experience can be concerning—or even scary, and may many pregnant people wonder when to worry about heart palpitation in pregnancy. Luckily, most often heart palpitations are nothing to worry about. Your body goes through many changes during pregnancy. Pregnancy hormones and a growing uterus cause a variety of well-known pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness, fatigue, and frequent urination. Pregnancy also affects other areas of your body like your circulatory system (your heart and blood supply)....

Another problem is that while some children may be good at setting a goal, they don’t understand how to reach it. They seem to think that just wanting something will somehow make it happen. This can be especially true of gifted kids for whom everything comes easily. They can get discouraged, give up, and turn into underachievers. Here’s how to help your child set and reach goals. Determine the Goal The first step in achieving a goal is to identify one....

If these scenarios sound all too familiar, it is likely your child has allergies. But identifying the root cause on your own is nearly impossible. Are they allergic to pollen, grass, milk, eggs, penicillin, grandma’s cat, or all of the above? The one thing that is clear is that it may be time to have your child tested for allergies. It’s the only way to know for sure what’s causing their symptoms....

Reasons to Relocate It can be frightening to think about your child’s other parent moving away, especially if they would like to move with the kids. It may also be difficult to ascertain when a move for yourself would be a reasonable request. Child custody laws vary by state, and the kind of legal and physical custody you have will determine the level of involvement of the court. Every court will consider the best interests of the child when evaluating a relocation request from one of the parents....

My Story It took my son no time at all to learn to pee on the potty. He started doing this when he was 2 years old, but it wasn’t until he was almost 4 that he would consistently go poop in the potty. He developed the habit of holding his bowel movements, which took a lot of time and patience to break. As for night training, he never had a wet or poopy night after the age of 3....