ML Interest Tag: health-care

8 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Getting a Family Pet

by Jamie Aderski
Partner Content

They’ve been pleading, begging and bargaining…for a furry friend! And honestly, who wouldn’t want to add more love to their family? Pets are beloved companions for a reason. Being in the presence of animals has been shown to relieve stress (and add joy!), as they quickly become like a member of the family! It is a big decision, though, since dogs and cats can live for ten years or more years, with added responsibilities to take care of your new best friend. Still on the fence and trying to decide whether or not to go for it? Here is a list of eight questions to ask yourself before getting a family pet that just may help you decide.

1. What Type of Pet Should You Get?

Cat, dog, hamster...lizard—did you grow up with a cat, dog or other? Your answer may help inform your choice: picking an animal that you are already comfortable cohabitating with. If you’re still not sure, think about your family’s lifestyle. Are you super active? Maybe a dog! Are you traveling often or prefer more lap snuggles? Maybe a cat. Or snake? Decisions, decisions.

2. Where Should You Get a Pet?

You can't go wrong with adopting from the shelter! Chances are, there is a local animal shelter or two near you. They have lots of cats and dogs to choose from: Large, medium and small breeds, pure breeds and mixes, puppies and adult dogs (already potty-trained, bonus!), cats and kittens of all kinds. A good deal of the people working in animal shelters are volunteers and very pet-savvy. They can help you pick the purrfect pet that fits your family's personality and preference.

3. Will Your New Pet Be Safe Around Your Kids?

Yet another reason we love shelter adoptions: The shelter caregivers tend to know their animals very well, from history to how they currently interact with people and other pets. Ask which pets have experience with younger kids or families. Like any new friends, once you take a new pet home, be sure to supervise any interactions as your baby and new fur baby slowly get to know each other—just watch that animal-human bond grow!

4. What Responsibilities Will The Kids Have?

It’s a good idea to make this clear before choosing your new bestie: Caring for a pet is a team effort. It’s also a great way to encourage responsibility and time-management skills in your kids. Like us, animals thrive on a routine; eating, going for walks, sleeping and yes, going “potty” around the same time every day. For younger kids, making sure their pet has food and water is an excellent way to involve them. Older kids can help with walks and clean-up. We promise the rewards of having a pet, and the love you get back, will be well worth the effort!

5. How Will Having a Pet Change Your Day-to-Day Routine?

See the answer to question four. Pets need care, so setting up an "eat, walk, potty" schedule is crucial. Puppies are adorable but potty training, much like with a child, can be a challenge. If you’re not up for that, try an older dog or cat! They still have so much love to give and lots of fun to share with your family. Also, if you travel often or work long hours away from home, remember you will need a pet sitter or kennel drop-off (or just a really good friend to hold the leash while you're gone, who loves your pet as much as you do!).

6. Are You Prepared for The Extra Cost?

Caring for a pet can add up. This is another reason why we love shelter adoption. Not only are you saving an animal in need but you only pay a small fee to adopt rather than a large sum to a breeder, which can be upwards of a thousand dollars. A dog or cat will need food, vet visits, spay or neutering, grooming (nail trims and baths…) and health care throughout their lives, so keep that in mind. You may also want to check out Pet Insurance. It’s very affordable and can help in case your pet falls ill or is injured. 

7. How Do You Feel About Pet Hair (Everywhere)?

You get a new pet and before you know it, you’re covered in pet hair 24/7. There are plenty of great pet-hair removing vacuums out there which you may want to consider, also the old school tape roll on a stick (hey, it works!). If you experience any allergy symptoms from pet fur, consider getting an allergy-friendly breed. Some dogs have fur, which sheds and some have hair, which grows out and needs to be trimmed from time to time. The latter tends to be more hypo-allergenic but be sure to check with your doctor and ask your local shelter helper!

8. What's Your Care Plan When You're Away?

If you are home all day, you're set for snuggles! If not, you may need to hire a pet walker or pet sitter. Dogs and cats can certainly be on their own for a while but need bathroom breaks and play, just like us. There are even doggy daycares if you need more full-day work coverage. And hey, pets need to socialize, too, so it's a win-win! 
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10 Organizations You Can Donate to for Mother’s Day (because She’s Got Plenty of Mugs)

by Camesha Gosha

Mother’s Day 2021 is right around the corner, and this year, instead of the flowers and mugs, what better way to celebrate the mother figure in your life than gifting something moms need at every stage—support. How can you do that? By making a donation in honor of mom to an organization that dedicates itself to helping women and mothers everywhere, but especially those living in diverse communities. From the Black Mamas Matter Alliance to Every Mother Counts, these groups are vital to making real change that will help all parents and kids get through life safely and healthy. We’ve highlighted our top charities to give to below, so keep reading, and get ready to be inspired!

Every Mother Counts

For many women, pregnancy and childbirth aren’t joyful experiences. There are many reasons for this including lack of quality health care and discrimination. Every Mother Counts is dedicated to ensuring that women have access to quality maternal care by investing in organizations that make quality, respectful and equitable care possible.

Learn more and donate here. 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CN-q3AFAOFA/?hidecaption=true

The National Birth Equity Collaborative

The National Birth Equity Collaborative focuses on creating solutions to issues in Black maternal and infant health. They do that through various efforts, including training and advocating for policy change. Their work helps to create the conditions for the assurance of optimal births for all people.

Learn more and donate here.

Mamatoto Village

Mamatoto Village aims to offer creative solutions to combat health disparities for moms and their babies. That could look like anything from creating a path to careers in maternal health to providing access to services so moms can make informed decisions. The core values of the village include advocacy, equity and being inclusive.

Learn more and donate here.

 

Black Mamas Matter Alliance

Black Mamas Matter Alliance champions rights, respect and resources for mothers. Their mission is to advocate for Black mothers. They push for research and policy changes when it comes to maternal health, rights and justice.

Learn more and donate here. 

 

Moms Rising

Moms Rising educates the public about issues facing women and mothers. They work by starting grassroots efforts to bring awareness to issues, amplifying the voices of millions of women and pursueing policy changes.

Learn more and donate here. 

 

Shades of Blue Project

Shades of Blue Project is dedicated to breaking cultural barriers in maternal health mental health. They are a presence for women before, during and after giving birth. They are committed to changing the way healthcare systems engage with patients.

Learn more and donate here.

Lotto Love

LottoLove aims to make moms feel good while helping women around the world. LottoLove is the first-ever scratch-off card with a social mission. For every scratch card purchased, the organization donates to charities they’ve partnered with. Those charities provide clean water and literacy tools, among other things, to people in over 60 countries.

Learn more and donate here.

 

The Finley Project

The Finley Project is very personal for the founder, Noelle Moore, who tragically lost her newborn daughter. The organization was started to help mothers after the heartbreaking loss of an infant. It supports mothers physically, mentally and spiritually—at no cost to them.

Learn more and donate here. 

The Homeless Prenatal Program

The Homeless Prenatal Program has the goal to break the cycle of childhood poverty. How do they do this? Most people are extra motivated to create a better way of life when they are pregnant. The program uses that motivation to help families discover their strengths and trust in their ability to change their lives. 

Learn more and donate here.

 

Commonsense Childbirth

Commonsense Childbirth is dedicated to better birthing experiences for women and families. They focus on safety and quality in their quest for equitable maternal care. They also never turn a mom away—regardless of ability to pay. 

Learn more and donate here.

—Camesha Gosha

 

Featured image: iStock

 

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This Book Is an Antidote to Anti-Asian Racism & It’s Available Now

by Amber Guetebier

It’s been a year and then some for all of us living through the COVID-19 epidemic. From masking up and washing our hands to stay-at-home orders and travel restrictions, we are a world in constant response to the pandemic. Through it all, we’ve been parenting our kids, balancing distance learning, and lockdown with the need for our kids to understand, grow, and play.

Unfortunately, the past year, and the past few weeks, in particular, have revealed an alarmingly high rise in racism toward Asian Americans and people of Asian descent. Misinformation surrounding the virus, its origins, and public statements from high-ranking officials have fueled this fire. One woman with a mission is trying to change that.

Enter Dr. Li and the Crown Wearing Virus. Author of two NY Times bestselling Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls books, Francesca Cavello wrote this book as a response to the rise in anti-Asian racism and the rampant misinformation about the virus and how it started. Illustrated by Claudia Flandoli, this book details and celebrates the important work by Dr. Li Weinlang, the Chinese doctor who was the first to bring attention and raise the alarm that a novel coronavirus was spreading in Wuhan. It also teaches children practical facts about the virus, its spread, and how to contain it. Armed with the correct information, children’s anxiety and concerns are addressed.

“As you build the future of our planet

May you always remember

This extraordinary time

When we found out

That we do not walk alone

That when one of us falls

We all fall
And when one of us rises

We all rise. “

—from Cavello’s dedication to Doctor Li’s children and to the brave children of the world.

 

In the story, we learn about Dr. Li, who risked being arrested to spread accurate information about the high-rate of transmission with COVID-19. Although he worked hard to identify and protect people, he was threatened, as were the doctors and health-care professionals who supported him and tried to pass on the information about how to protect yourself from the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, we meet seven-year-old May who learns about Dr. Li’s work, and his death from the virus and feels afraid. Together, with her mom’s help, they set out to educate themselves about the Coronavirus. The book itself shares practical facts, beautiful images, and reassures children with researched information.

The book itself offers a Chinese hero for children to remember, and empowers kids with knowledge.

Undercats itself is a new media company that publishes “children’s books that celebrate diversity and inspire families to take action for equality.” Look for more books coming out this fall.

Learn more about Undercats and their new publishing platform, and order your copy, at undercats.com 

—Amber Guetebier

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What Is Social Media Depression and Is Your Child at Risk?

By Isabel Cintra

If Snapchat filters, Instagram followers, boomerang pics, the perfect photo, tweets, and Facebook ‘likes’ seem to consume your teen’s life, it is no surprise. Social media use is currently the most common activity enjoyed by children and teenagers. Over 75 percent of children own a cellular phone, and the majority use it to access social media platforms several times each day. With such a broad reach and widespread popularity among our youth, it’s important that parents understand that while mostly fun and games there can be negative consequences of excessive social media use. 

Does the following sound familiar?

Lately you’ve noticed that your child appears aloof, irritable, and withdrawn. He prefers to be left alone in his room spending time on Instagram and Snapchat. Though he is restricted from screen time after bedtime, he has had several nights of breaking this rule and staying up late to check his social media feeds. As his parent, you’ve established rules regarding social media use including having access to his social media platforms usernames and passwords. You’ve come to learn, that he has a fake Instagram (i.e. a “Finstagram”) account and has experienced bullying due to some recent posts.  

Or this?

Your teen has been unusually irritable. She’s having trouble sleeping and is spending more time alone. She’d rather sit in her room and swipe and post on her social media feeds than spend time with her family or even go out with friends. She appears overly concerned with her physical appearance and getting the “perfect look” for pictures. Once cheerful and self-assured, she has lately become self-doubting and withdrawn.

At first glance, we might think that behaviors and mood symptoms such as these can be chalked up to a teenage funk or a child hitting a rough patch. Another possible cause? Social media depression. Social media depression refers to a clinical depression that results from the intensity, pressure, and eventual isolation stemming from social media use. And unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly common among kids and teens.

Social media depression is not recognized as a formal diagnosis among health care professionals. Yet, there is a growing body of research that shows an association between social media use and clinical depression, especially among youth and young adults—thus the term “social media depression.”

How do you know if your youth is struggling with a clinical depression and this is more than a moody teenager? If you notice that your child has several of the following symptoms over a two week period or more, then you should be concerned about clinical depression: depressed mood (most of the day and nearly every day), changes in sleep pattern (sleeping too much or too little), loss of energy nearly every day, poor concentration, an inability to experience pleasure in activities that your child previously enjoyed, increased time alone and reduced time with friends, or even talk of death or suicide. 

Social media may be an underlying cause if your youth has an excessive amount of interest and time spent on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and Facebook. Take heed if you notice the following behaviors and telling signs: spending considerable amounts of time on social media at the expense of real friendships and family time, a hyper-focus on physical appearance because of a posting the “perfect” picture, and excessive comparisons of themselves to friends.

If you suspect that your child is suffering from clinical depression, that’s your cue to take the next step. Get professional help—the sooner, the better.  We’ve seen that early intervention can make a great difference. 

Written by Dr. Carlin Barnes and Dr. Marketa Wills.

Through her vibrant picture books, illustrated by her brother Zeka Cintra,Isabel strives to introduce kids to a world where diversity is valuable and beautiful. Fantasy, representativeness and diversity are common themes in her editorial production. She currently resides in Stockholm, Sweden with her husband and daughters.

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4 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Night Nurse or Postpartum Doula

By Denise Stern

When hiring overnight care, references, background checks and gut feeling are the most important things to check off your list. Because newborns and new parents have very special needs, here are 4 questions you may not have thought to ask:

1. Do you have your flu shot and vaccinations?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) calls the “mandatory immunization of all health care personnel an ‘ethical, just, and necessary’ means to improve patient safety.”  Babies cannot receive a flu shot before 6 months of age so they are especially vulnerable to influenza. Be sure you and your newborn care provider get the flu shot!Hepatitis B, MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) and TDaP (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis, also known as Whooping Cough) should all be current and documented in your child’s caregiver.  According to the Centers for Disease Control, TDaP  “is especially important for…anyone having close contact with a baby younger than 12 months.”  Even if an adult has had the TDaP vaccine as a child, whooping cough boosters are recommended for adults.

2. How will you support my feeding decisions?
While your doula or nurse is likely very experienced, you are the expert in what’s best for your family.  If breastfeeding is your goal, someone who can’t wait to cheer you on may be a priority for you. If formula is an option, you may want someone who’s also comfortable giving formula.

3. What kind of Experience, relevant Certifcates or Continuing Education do you have? 
At Let Mommy Sleep, we try to stay away from saying what parents and caregivers should or shouldn’t do, but the one exception to this is in safety. For babies 0-1 year old, caregivers need to demonstrate thorough knowledge of basic safety, carseat safety and reducing the risk of SIDS. The AAP offers a comprehensive, free online course, which issues a certificate after completion which we encourage all parents and caregivers to take. First Aid and CPR Certification should also be a given for every caregiver. Other continuing education courses such as lactation support or early childhood milestones offered by regulated agencies show a caregiver’s commitment to their profession and an understanding that recommendations for baby care can change over time. Experience is another excellent indicator of commitment though, and there are many wonderful night nannies and newborn care providers without formal training. Just because someone has taken a newborn care training class doesn’t mean they’ve ever held a real baby. On the same note, it may give you added peace of mind to know that your postpartum caregiver or night nurse is accountable to a state or other governing agency.  It’s important to note that only professionals who have completed Registered Nursing, Certified Nurse Midwife or other higher level Licensed Nursing degrees should be called “nurse” or “baby nurse.”  Without these licensures, is actually illegal to use the term “baby nurse” in many states.

4. How will you soothe my baby? 
Are you thinking you may be an attachment parent? Is sleep training important to you? Maybe a “wait and see” approach to newborn care feels more comfortable? Whatever your personal philosophy, you may wish to ask your night nurse or postpartum doula how s/he soothes baby.  Someone who can explain many safe ways to comfort babies is not only demonstrating experience, but also that they understand that each child and family has different needs.

Whatever you decide, we hope that these questions help make your transition home with baby a happy and healthy one for your family.

With twin girls and a boy born 17 months apart, I'm the owner of the world's most ironically named business, Let Mommy Sleep. Let Mommy Sleep provides nurturing postpartum care to newborns and evidence based education to parents by Registered Nurses and Newborn Care Providers.  

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10 Easy Random Acts of Kindness to Do with Your Kids

By Joy Turner

Photo: Kiddie Academy

We all want our children to grow up to be good people. We all want them to be proud and strong. We want them to be good citizens. And, we want them to be kind. National Random Acts of Kindness Day, which is held annually on February 17, is all about doing good for others, but it also sparks an opportunity to celebrate and practice kindness with children all year round.

Scientific evidence supports that doing kind acts for others is good for us and helps decrease feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression. Engaging children in performing kind acts build up their ability to show compassion for others and helps create healthy, supportive communities where they can live and grow.

My fellow education experts teamed up with Kiddie Academy’s corporate social responsibility team to craft a list of activities your child can do to spread kindness and brighten someone’s day.

1. Pick up litter in your neighborhood. Teach your kids to be kind to the Earth and give love to the environment by picking up trash, such as plastic or paper that may be harmful to animals and plants.

2. Write a friend a thoughtful note. Have your child hand write a note to their best buddy describing what they like about them. It’s sure to put a smile on their face.

3. Hold the door open for someone. This little act of kindness goes a long way. Instruct your kids to hold the door for the person behind them, smile, and say hello. It may just make their day.

4. Draw a picture for a relative or a friend. Art is a great way to get the creative juices flowing while also spreading kindness. Have your kids draw photos for friends or relatives.

5. Read a book with a sibling. If you have multiple children, encourage them to spend quality time together by reading a bedtime story. It will remind them both that they have a built-in friend no matter what.

6. Help clean up after a meal. The cook of the family will appreciate it if you teach your kids to bring the finished plates to the sink. It’s also a great way to get kids involved in mealtime.

7. Clean up your playroom. Encourage kids to take some off of mom and dad’s plate by spending a few minutes putting toys and books away.

8. Leave a box of chalk at the playground or write a kind chalk message on the neighborhood sidewalk. Spread kindness within your community in a socially distant way by having your kids write positive memos such as, “Be yourself and have a great day!” for the neighborhood to see and enjoy.

9. Write a “thank-you” note to local essential workers, like first responders and health care workers. Give back kindness to the people who help keep us safe everyday by encouraging your kids to tell essential workers how much they appreciate everything they do.

10. Make a friendship bracelet for a friend. Teach your child to use yarn and beads to create a fun and vibrant bracelet for a friend. It’s a fun way to show appreciation for one another.

A child is never too young to adopt the fundamentals of good character. These acts of kindness, among many others, teach a child that they can change the course of someone’s day and make an impact. You never know where kindness will take you!

This post originally appeared on Kiddie Academy Family Essentials.

Joy has over 20 years of experience in early childhood education. As Vice President of Education at Kiddie Academy Educational Child Care, she oversees all things curriculum, assessment, training and more. Joy earned a B.S. in Education from Salisbury University.

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Is a Video Game the Key to Identifying ADHD in Kids? This Study Says Yes

by Erin Lem

A new study by researchers from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) and the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM, in its Spanish acronym) say they have developed a video game that allows the identification and evaluation of the degree of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. Read on to learn more about this potential new rapid test that will provide for early diagnosis.

How is ADHD currently diagnosed?
According to Science Daily, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with an estimated prevalence of 7.2% in children and adolescents. Currently, Science Daily reports that ADHD is clinically diagnosed, meaning the symptoms are identified by health care professionals using the child’s medical history, often supported by scales completed by caregivers and/or teachers. There is currently no diagnostic tests to identify ADHD.

What to know about the study
The study was carried out in collaboration with a group of 32 children, between the ages of 8 and 16, diagnosed with ADHD by the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit in the Psychiatry Department at the Jiménez Díaz Foundation University Hospital. When the children took the test, they were observed by trained professionals, and caregivers filled out a behavior classification scale, which helps evaluate the severity of ADHD symptoms. Each test only takes seven minutes to complete.

What’s the Game?
In the game a raccoon has to jump over 180 holes that are grouped into 18 blocks. “We hypothesize that children diagnosed with ADHD inattentive subtype will make more mistakes by omission and will jump closer to the hole as a result of the symptoms of inattention,” says Inmaculada Peñuelas Calvo, another author of the study, psychiatrist at the Jiménez Díaz Foundation University Hospital and professor at the UCM’s Department of Personality, Evaluation and Clinical Psychology.

What did the study conclude?
The study states: “Our results suggest that the number of times the avatar does not jump, as well as the median and interquartile range of the jump distances, show a significant correlation with the severity of patients’ inattention. In addition, this correlation tends to be greater when the time between stimuli increases. This could be explained because when the time between stimuli is short, the patient is immersed in the game, whereas whenever this time is longer, ADHD patients have difficulty maintaining the attention.” In short, this new study opens the door to exploring whether a 7 minute video game can be used as a diagnostic tool to help identify the severity of ADHD in children. And, since it’s an actual video game, the possibility of conducting tests like these remotely may be possible in the future.

Learn more here and read the full study here.

—Erin Lem

photo: Pixabay

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Virtual Ways to Spread Kindness This Thanksgiving

By Natalie Silverstein

This Thanksgiving may look a little different for most families, but the most important elements of the holiday—gratitude, kindness, generosity, and spending time together—can still be expressed and celebrated. For many families like mine, giving back and helping others is a big part of our Thanksgiving traditions and volunteering helps to keep us grounded and grateful for our many blessings.

This year, many of these opportunities—serving Thanksgiving dinner to guests in a homeless shelter, or delivering food packages to homebound neighbors—may be canceled or significantly altered because of the pandemic. Nonprofits simply can’t welcome in-person volunteers or children into their facilities due to social distancing limitations. But that doesn’t mean that your family can’t create new family service traditions, spreading kindness and love from home, and helping struggling neighbors celebrate the holiday with dignity. You simply need a little creativity, imagination, and the willingness to prioritize service and kindness in your preparations.

I hope the following ideas will inspire you to find new, “virtual” ways to make giving a big part of your Thanksgiving holiday.

In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving you can:

  • Reach out to your local food pantry and ask how you might support their efforts this year. If they are accepting food donations, work with your kids to create a canned food drive at school, in your apartment building, through a scout troop, or at a local community gathering spot.
  • Start a fundraiser for your local food pantry, food rescue organization, meals-on-wheels program, or a national nonprofit working in the hunger space like No Kid Hungry or Feeding America. Get creative with your fundraising and invite family and friends with whom you would like to connect virtually since you won’t be together in person for the holiday. Host an apple pie bake-off via Zoom, a Tik Tok Challenge, a puzzle completion contest, or a virtual “turkey trot” road race.
  • Reach out to homebound, ill, or elderly neighbors to ask if they need help getting groceries to make their own Thanksgiving meal and offer to shop for them. Include a sweet treat in the groceries you deliver, or a bunch of fresh flowers to brighten the table.
  • Help your children create colorful paper placemats, brown paper delivery bags, or Thanksgiving cards, and donate them to your local food pantry or meal delivery non-profit. These organizations typically include these items in holiday deliveries to make them more festive.

During the last week of November you can:

  • Bake pies, cookies, or other treats and deliver them to neighbors and friends with a note wishing them a Happy Thanksgiving. Kids can create hand-print turkeys and other colorful artwork to decorate these notes.
  • Donate some of these home-baked treats to your local firehouse, EMT, police station, or hospital emergency room on the morning of Thanksgiving, to thank the first responders and health care workers who will be giving up their family time to keep your community safe.

During your Thanksgiving gathering you can:

  • Distribute colorful slips of paper and ask every guest to write down the one thing for which they are most grateful. Be sure every slip of paper is dated, fold them up, and add them to a gratitude jar. You can add notes to this jar every year on Thanksgiving or other holidays, birthdays, or major milestones.
  • Ask children to create personalized placemats for each guest which lists all of the things your child loves, admires, and appreciates about that person.
  • Of course, many families will be planning “zoom” gatherings for Thanksgiving so that you can see the faces of loved ones who could not join you in person. Consider adding a note of gratitude to this gathering by asking each participant to say something they are thankful for or a silver lining that they have discovered over the course of this difficult year.
  • Instead of turning on the television while the meal is being prepared, engage kids in some kitchen-table kindness activities.
    • Purchase or gather some flat rocks and paints. Ask children to paint positive, hopeful messages on the rocks. After dinner, walk through your neighborhood and leave them in spots where they will be seen by people walking by who may need some encouragement. This effort is championed by an organization called The Kindness Rocks Project. Take some photos and post them on social media, tagging @thekindnessrocksproject.
    • Paint Stars of Hope and send them to a community that is dealing with a natural disaster, forest fire, or tragedy.
    • Write encouraging letters to isolated elders or hospitalized children and donate them locally or send to Love For Our Elders or Cards for Hospitalized Kids.

Finally, as you gather to enjoy a meal for Thanksgiving, use this time together to brainstorm how you will add kindness and generosity to the upcoming December “giving” holidays of Christmas, Hanukkah, the Feast of St. Nicholas, Kwanzaa, and Three Kings Day.  This year more than ever, as many are struggling with illness and job loss, families will need additional help to make the holidays festive and bright. Ask your kids for ideas on how you can be a light for others and come up with an actionable plan to give back through the month of December and into the New Year.

Natalie Silverstein
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Natalie Silverstein, MPH, is the NYC coordinator of Doing Good Together. She is a writer, speaker and consultant on the topic of family service. Her first book Simple Acts: The Busy Family's Guide to Giving Back was published in 2019 and her second book for teens will be published in 2022.

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Study Shows Children With Autism & ADHD May Be Able to Be Identified Earlier

by Jennifer Swartvagher

According to a new study, children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) visited doctors and hospitals more often during their first year of life than non-affected children. Even before being diagnosed, these babies’ health care patterns are unique. These findings suggest that we may be able to identify these conditions earlier than thought. 

baby

The findings from Duke Health researchers, appearing online Oct. 19 in the journal Scientific Reports, provide evidence that health care utilization patterns in a baby’s first year can serve as a roadmap to provide timey diagnoses and treatments which can improve outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. 

“This study provides evidence that children who develop autism and ADHD are on a different path from the beginning,” said lead author Matthew Engelhard, M.D., Ph.D., a senior research associate at Duke. “We have known that children with these diagnoses have more interactions with the health care system after they’ve been diagnosed, but this indicates that distinctive patterns of utilization begin early in these children’s lives. This could provide an opportunity to intervene sooner.”

Autism spectrum disorder affects approximately 1.5% of children in the United States and ADHD affects about 11% of U.S. children. ADHD symptoms are also present in up to 60% of children with ASD.  

“We know that children with ASD and ADHD often receive their diagnosis much later, missing out on the proven benefits that early interventions can bring,” said Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D., director of the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development and the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. “Owing to the brain’s inherent malleability — its neuroplasticity — early detection and intervention are critical to improving outcomes in ASD, especially in terms of language and social skills.”

Engelhard and colleagues, including senior authors Dawson and Scott Kollins, Ph.D., used 10 years of data collected from the electronic health records of nearly 30,000 patients, primarily at Duke University Health System, who had at least two well-child visits before age one.

Patients were grouped as having later been diagnosed with ASD, ADHD, both conditions or no diagnosis. The researchers then analyzed the first-year records for hospital admissions, procedures, emergency department visits and outpatient clinical appointments.

For the children who were later found to have one or both of the diagnoses, their births tended to result in longer hospital stays compared to children without the disorders.

Children later diagnosed with ASD had higher numbers of procedures, including intubation and ventilation, and more outpatient specialty care visits for services such as physical therapy and eye appointments.

Children who were later found to have ADHD had more procedures, notably including blood transfusions, as well as more hospital admissions and more emergency department visits.

Studies show that treatments for these disorders work best when they begin early in a child’s life, Dawson said. Understanding that there are signals available in a child’s electronic health record could help lead to earlier and more targeted therapies.

“We are hopeful that these early utilization patterns can eventually be combined with other sources of data to build automated surveillance tools to help parents and pediatricians identify which kids will benefit most from early assessment and treatment,” Kollins said.

The researchers said they plan to conduct additional analyses to explore more fully what specific health concerns prompted the extra doctor and hospital visits.

“We want to understand these distinctions in greater detail and identify them as soon as possible to make sure children have access to the resources they need,” Engelhard said.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Jonathan Borba on Unsplash 

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Meet Portland Parents Who Are Making a Difference

by Annette Benedetti

Portland is proud of it’s dedication to making a difference both locally and nationally. Our community is known for it’s fierce dedication to standing up for what is right and advocating for and helping out those in needs. But did you know that many of the folks who are making the biggest difference are Portland parents? It’s about time your family met some of them don’t you think. The following are just some of the local parents who are keeping our community Portland Proud! Read on to find out more about them.

Danielle Koping

Danielle Koping

Danielle Koping is mother to her son Henry who was diagnosed with cancer at three months. Henry is currently on his second round of chemotherapy, fighting a rare cancer called Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis. Koping says The Children’s Oncology floor at Randall’s Hospital seems like their second home and that the staff have always gone above and beyond to make their stay as easy-going as possible. Unfortunately, according to Koping, the playroom has been closed for months due to COVID and keeping a toddler busy in a hospital room is not ideal. So, to celebrate Henry’s second birthday, she asked friends, family, and close community members to gift them new coloring/activity books and new markers, colored pencils, and crayons. The response was overwhelming and she collected hundreds of packs to donate to their program. Over the next few weeks, we will be packaging up gift bags for patients (ages 0-18) and gifting them to the Children’s Oncology floor at Randall’s. Koping says," Our project, supported by her amazing community, is a small return for the service we have received." 

Find out more: If you would like to support Koping's project, you can email Danielle at danikoping@gmail.com. At this time she is still collecting the following items: new coloring/activity books or pads, new markers, colored pencils, or crayons, and new toys in original packaging. 

Brittany V

Brittany V

After Three months of working from home, Brittany V decided she needed to get out and give back to her community. She started sewing masks and dropped off her first 100 to William Temple House on May 19. In June she started volunteering in their food bank once a week in addition to working and making masks. She then increased to two days when she started back to work. She work weekends so she could take two weekdays off to volunteer. And on Sept. 10, she reached an incredible mile stone and dropped off her 1,000th mask to William Temple House. In addition, Brittany has sewn 300-400 masks for other people and has never charged money for a single mask.

Brittany works at Doernbecher as a Senior Research Assistant on the "vitamin-c study". She says, "We obviously embrace oranges and everything citrus. For the last 100 masks (I did them in batches of 100), I bought fabric that embraced our love for citrus to bring in my passion for serving people and my study participants and science."

Dina Birmingham

Dina Birmingham

Dina Birmingham is the owner of Dream Dinners, a local franchise that has been in the meal prep business for over 15 years in the Portland Metro area. She's owned the Beaverton location since 2010. In March, when COVID-19 hit, she transitioned her shop to 100% staff assembled meals with curbside pick-up, or home delivery available. She also waived the typical assembly fee from $30 to either $0, or to $15, depending on timing.
 
Then, in June, she donated to the Westside Food Brigade--a community service bringing food to those in need. They were doing well with donations for families, but wanted a special way to honor their volunteers, and so Birmingham provided a free family dinner and side dish for 20 of their volunteers.
 
Birmingham also offers a coupon code, “THANKYOU” through her Dream Dinners Location that allows any medical and first responder to receive 10% off their monthly order.Lastly, she is offering any teacher who reaches out this month a free meal for their family. Her staff will assemble the store's Crispy French Onion Chicken with Oven Roasted Broccoli for them to pick-up curbside for free. Her hope is to help them get a good start to the school year.
 
Last, but not least, Birmingham and Dream Dinners also partner monthly with Michelle’s Love, a local non-profit that Birmingham is a Board Member of. Michelle's Love provides services, which include free Dream Dinners meals, to single parents undergoing cancer treatment. Dream Dinners provide a 25% discount to Michelle’s Love for their monthly purchase. 
 
Find out more: Visit Birmingham's Dream Dinners website for more information. You can also checkout Westside Food Brigade and Michelle's Love to find out what you can do to contribute.

Lyla Wolfenstein

Lyla Wolfenstein

Lyla Wolfenstein is a mom and the owner of Fully Belly Fare, a Portland-based business that delivers hand-crafted meals to local homes. Full Belly Fare has always been about community over competition, but in the wake of the pandemic, Wolfenstein has made that focus is even more central. Forced to reduce her crew size for the sake of safety and social distancing, she had to come up with some innovative ways to stay in business. First she reduced the highly labor intensive menu complexity, and added several "chef's surprise" items to the rotating weekly menu as well as a number of items to the "pantry menu" using products made both in house and by other local small businesses. The impacts of this decision were many and include allowing her remaining staff to work more hours in safe working conditions; helping vulnerable customers gain access to food items and meals they couldn't otherwise pick up safely, and supporting other local businesses who were struggling. 

With an eye toward the Black community in Portland, Wolfenstein made a concerted effort to reach out to Black owned businesses, and the profits from the products we carry from those businesses are donated to the Black Resilience Fund. Through this process, the Black owned businesses earn the money they need from their products, and the money from the sale of those products is leveraged again into an organization that is supporting the Black community.

Additionally, Wolfenstein realized everyone can afford delivered prepared meals, especially in the wake of layoffs and income loss. Full Belly Fare has long had a "contribute to a group gift" option, wherein colleagues, family, and friends from anywhere in the world could contribute any amount to a campaign for a loved one, and all contributions are pooled together to support that person in need. With the pandemic, she increased visibility of that program, and perhaps most importantly, collected donations from customers, which Full Belly Fare matched in support of local families and health care workers in need who did not have a community to support them.
 
Recenly Wolfenstein has been able to expand Full Belly Fare's menus again, and says she looks forward to a future of opportunities to increase community support and connection through good food, made with love.
 
Find out more: Read more about Fully Belly Fare's offerings and how you can contribute through their contribution program.

Nikki Adamson

Nikki Adamson

Nikki Adamson is a mom, daughter, wife, friend, teacher, and accomplice in training. She started her recruiting business, Hustle Hunters, out of her own experience as a mom navigating the tech scene after giving birth as flexibility had instantly become a deal breaker for her in my professional life. She was eager to help remove similar employment barriers for other parents. One-and-a-half years later she realized that for her business to be true to her and have an equitable impact, she needed to revisit the populations she was serving and, pay special attention to intersectionality. Now her business is breaking the cycle of systematic exclusion of WOC.

Hustle Hunters now enables parents who are especially strained by COVID-19 and parenting to seek flexible employment while delivering equitable and balanced talent panels to startups that are building teams. Adamson is spending a lot of time listening to and learning from communities of color, older applicants, and non-binary candidates. And is hiring resources of color to share their lived experiences and professional acumen, to ensure that the actions are informed and align with the broader vision of inclusivity.

Find out more: To find out more about Hustle Hunters and how you can be part of a workforce or hiring force dedicated to inclusivity, visit Hustle Hunters online.

—Annette

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