I work as an occupational therapist at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin’s Fox Valley specialty clinic. I also have a Montessori preschool teaching background. One thing I’m passionate about is sharing the benefits of having kids learn to do things for themselves.
As adults we often don’t think about all the things kids can do themselves. Even at very young ages — as soon as kids are able to walk, grab and move — there are things kids can do …Continue reading →
Children explore their environment through play. Whether a child is undergoing treatment in a hospital, at home or in school, play is the foundation for learning.
The Child Life team at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin provides opportunities for self-expression, exploration and normalization. From crayons and paper to electronics and everything in between, kids of all ages love to play.
Here is our team’s list of the Top 10 Best Toys of 2012 (with 3 bonus selections):
I am always amazed by the number of teens at Starbucks buying coffee or highly caffeinated drinks. As a nurse in the Sleep Center at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, it makes me think about how all this caffeine affects their sleep.
Caffeine is a stimulant that makes you feel alert and awake. If you consume too much or drink it too close to bedtime, caffeine can lead to difficulty sleeping and waking in the middle of the night.
In the past, teens typically consumed caffeine from soft drinks or candy, but not anymore. They are drinking coffee, caffeinated water and energy …Continue reading →
Summer is half over. Are you starting to hear your kids say things like, “I’ll be fine at home, I don’t need to go to camp?” When my son was 11 years old, he wanted to spend the summer home and not at day camp. My husband and I both work, and we weren’t comfortable with the idea. We sent him to camp that summer and the summer after that too, but his request did give us food for thought. We began to consider the right age to …Continue reading →
Everywhere we look, we are flooded with images of what “beautiful” should look like. We open up the latest Teen, YM and Cosmo magazines and are greeted with images of models who are stick thin and airbrushed while reading about how we too can “lose 10 pounds in 5 days.” We drive down the highway and see billboards promoting weight loss, and we turn on the TV and see actresses who are unbelievably thin. It’s not hard to understand why American girls and women have such a hard time loving their own bodies …Continue reading →
I’ve been told children are born with two fears: loud noises and falling. Objects falling on them, however, isn’t something they fear.
I know that all pieces of free-standing furniture and TVs have the capability of tipping over. As a parent of a 10-month-old and as the Safe Kids Wisconsin coordinator, I am well aware of the potential hazard that poses for my son. After all, my son is curious and into everything just like all other toddlers and kids. …Continue reading this post
A number of children in the Milwaukee metro area recently have been diagnosed with pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough. Whooping cough is particularly worrisome for parents of infants, because children have to be 2 months old to receive the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection. Although it first seems like a regular cold, whooping cough can turn more serious. It causes coughing so bad that it’s …Continue reading this post
The Child Life team at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin provides a supportive environment that allows children and adolescents to cope with their hospital stays. It can be stressful. That’s why play is an important aspect. Play provides a sense of familiarity and helps normalize their experience.
Despite electronic advances and having less social face-to-face time, children are still fascinated by bright colors, silly games and using their imagination. That’s why it’s our pleasure to present our team’s Top 25 Best Toys of 2011. …Continue reading this post
At the International Adoption Clinic, I often discuss racial and ethnic identity development with families (and children themselves). More and more, adoptive parents are exploring numerous ways to support positive racial/ethnic identities for their children. One way to do this is to visit the child’s birth country. Studies show that children who are adopted internationally into U.S. families benefit from traveling to their birth country. Thankfully, there is a group in Wisconsin dedicated to helping families do this …Continue reading this post
Did you know twice as many kids are killed while walking on Halloween compared to any other day of the year? That’s a frightening statistic!
I have a 4-year-old daughter and 6-month-old son. My daughter decided she and her brother should go trick-or-treating as Thing One and Thing Two from the children’s book “The Cat in the Hat” by Dr. Seuss. So, I set out on my search, not only for their costumes, but also for a …Continue reading this post