Many families look forward to Halloween’s pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating and spooky costumes.
While the holiday is full of festive fun, parents can make sure their children maximize their Halloween experience by helping them to stay safe no matter what the night brings.
On Carilion Clinic Living, we have talked about the importance of visibility and car safety. One other topic important not to overlook, however, is stranger safety.
Being safe and visible in the dark is important for every child at Halloween. But as Carilion Clinic pediatric occupational therapist Lauren Pittard points out, from strangers and crowds to costumes and food allergies, Halloween can highlight the differences children with special needs face.
There’s been a lot of talk about bullying in recent years. As some parents help their kids learn how to deal with bullies and stand up for themselves, other parents have the dilemma of their own child being the bully.
Now that the kids are back at school, they are less at risk for sunburn or heatstroke but more at risk for colds and flu.
The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that the viruses responsible for colds and the flu cause the most common sicknesses in child care facilities and schools.
You want your child to be happy, healthy and ready for success in life. But are you doing the right things?
Our Carilion Children’s experts offer this advice:
Communication
“Communication is extremely important for maintaining the physical and emotional well-being of your child,” said Lori Dudley, Ph.D., a Carilion Children's licensed clinical psychologist.
Video screens are no longer just used passively for television watching and gaming; they are tools that teenagers use to communicate and socialize and they are an important educational tool, especially for students involved in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) courses.
You want to be the best grandparent you can be. But what may have earned you the title Grandparent of the Year 20 years ago is different from what’s expected of you today.
Across the country, 2.7 million grandparents are stepping in for parents—a seven percent increase since 2009.
In Virginia, about 70,000 children are being raised by their grandparents, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Sports have become an important part of many kids' lives, which means it has become an important part of their parents’ lives as well.
We all want our kids to be successful at whatever they do, but sometimes we worry that we are not doing enough, or doing it right for that matter. It can be stressful. But, it doesn’t have to be.
Has your teen talked about trying e-cigarettes or sampled some of the flavored versions being heavily marketed to teens?
If so, you have company. The popularity of e-cigarettes has soared in the past few years and many of those “vaping” are teenagers.
Sales of e-cigarettes are said to be $6 billion worldwide and chances are there is a vape shop – or two – in your own town. Vaping is also estimated to be growing by a whopping 42 percent a year.
