Parenting

Many parents are faced with the challenges of moving their toddlers from diapers to toilet usage. It seems that a new type of diaper which alarms parents may come to help for child toilet training. A new study appearing in Neurology and Urodynamics evaluates the use of a daytime diaper that uses a musical “wetting alarm” for children in day-care centers. The findings show that wetting alarm diaper training is an effective option for toilet training in a child-friendly way.

Feeding a picky eater can be a true test of a parent's patience, and can result in a stressful situation for both the parent and the child. Keep these quick tips from Beaumont Hospitals (Royal Oak, Mich.) dietitian Meryl Jackson in mind at your next family meal to allow for a more pleasant experience.

1. Follow the division of responsibility: The parent is responsible for what, when and where the food is served. The child decides how much and whether he will eat the food served.

With more than 75,000 children in foster homes, California has the nation’s largest number of children in the foster care system. According to UC Berkeley data, nearly 1,700 children in Santa Clara County currently live in out-of-home care. This includes foster families, relatives, extended family members, or group homes.

The Social Security Administration today announced the top baby names of 2009 publishing the most popular names for which the American parents have voted for. While the name Barack did not make the top 1000 list, it skyrocketed in popularity.

This story affects so many people in your area because many of them are struggling to care for aging parents. 36 million seniors live in the U.S. That number will double to 72 million in a few years, that's 20% of the U.S. population. So what option do you feel is best for mom? A nursing home or assisted living facility? How about in- home care? Or are you ready to have your life totally change and move mom in to your home?

University of Pittsburgh researchers have discovered that moms who breastfeed can reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke. The study, published May 2009 in Obstetrics & Gynecology, shows that breastfeeding women are promoting their own cardiovascular health for years to come.

"Parenting a child with special needs presents special challenges," says Therese Scarpace, Beaumont pediatric rehabilitation social worker. "So a team of specialists from the Beaumont's Children's Hospital's Center for Human Development, Speech and Language department and Center for Children's Rehabilitation have collaborated with a professional financial planner to address some of the most common questions to help parents find answers and empower themselves."

Northern Ireland Health Minister Michael McGimpsey today launched a new strategy which aims to provide support to parents in their role as primary care givers.

‘Families Matter: Supporting Families in Northern Ireland’ focuses on the availability and access to appropriate information and services for both parents and relevant professionals to assist them in providing care for children and young people.

A longitudinal study of infants from birth to age 3 showed TV viewing before the age of 2 does not improve a child's language and visual motor skills, according to research conducted at Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School. The findings, published in the March issue of Pediatrics, reaffirm current guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) that recommend no television under the age of 2, and suggest that maternal, child, and household characteristics are more influential in a child's cognitive development.

Spending time with a grandparent is linked with better social skills and fewer behavior problems among adolescents, especially those living in single-parent or stepfamily households, according to a new study.

This study, appearing in the February Journal of Family Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association, found that children and adolescents whose parents have separated or divorced see their grandparents as confidants and sources of comfort.