In April, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed into law legislation requiring children who outgrow child safety seats to be secured in booster seats when in a vehicle. The law applies to children up to age eight, or 4’9”in height. The fine for violations is $25 per child, and is a non-surchargeable insurance offense.


The law will take effect in early July, in time for the summer travel season.

 

Do your children ever travel alone? “Of course not,” you say. What about school trips in middle school or high school? What about overnight camp and day trips or overnights they may take? Any time your kids do something without you, they are travelling alone. Once kids are old enough to have these opportunities, they are old enough to not only understand important safety rules about travelling without you, but understand how to care for themselves and their health a bit. In fact, if they can’t accomplish either of those tasks, perhaps they are not quite ready to be on their own.

 

Some families will find more comfort in stressful hospital stays thanks to the Neely Foundation, founded by a former Boston Bruins hockey star and his siblings. Last month, ten years after opening a bed and breakfast-style group of family apartments at Tufts New England Medical Center in Boston, they unveiled a specially-designed Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Tufts’ Floating Hospital for Children.

 

Don Conkey
GateHouse News Service

More deer. More ticks. More disease.

Physicians treating suspected cases of Lyme disease are also on the lookout for other tick-borne diseases on the rise as the local deer population increases.

Babesiosis and anaplasmosis are also in the mix this time of year on the South Shore.


 

By Michelle ApuzzioSometimes it's numbness; other times it's a crying jag. Sometimes it's uncontrollable rage; other times it's re-reading the same page without absorbing it. Depression has many symptoms that slowly erode the lives of its prey, destroying everything in its wake - marriages, families, careers. Help is out there, for sure. But many men won't ask for it.

 

By Dr. Jacqueline Vorpahl
Q: When I pick my 31/2 year old son up from preschool I notice that he’s playing alone, should I be concerned about his social skills?

Preschool is a wonderful environment for your child to be observed playing and interacting with peers his own age. Where one child may blossom with an intuitive understanding of nonverbal communication and social etiquette, another child may appear to be content with solitary play, reducing his opportunity to practice social skills. Solitary play is a form of exploration and interaction with the environment that serves us throughout adulthood. Whether we are shaking a rattle or completing a crossword puzzle, individuals of all ages engage in solitary activities.

 

Q. What should I do when my 7-year-old daughter has a nightmare?

 

A. Children have magical imaginations. They give life to teddy bears, trucks, and dolls; they have invisible friends; and they can cook a three course meal with just a pile of sand and a shovel. When the lights go out at night and it is time for sleep, their minds delve headfirst into this imaginary world. Sleep time is dream time and it must be respected and understood from a child’s perspective.

 

Nearly 4,900 families have filed claims with the U.S. Court of Claims alleging that vaccines caused autism and other neurological problems in their children although the Institute of Medicine said in 2004 there was no credible evidence to show that vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal led to autism in children.

By Wendy Keen
Education Services Director
Children's Collaborative CPC
If you ask a preschool, elementary or high school teacher what is most important to a child’s chances for school success, they will instantly reply, “social-emotional skills!” But what exactly does that mean to a slightly bewildered parent?

Social-emotional skills include how a child feels about himself or herself, how she or he relates to others, and his or her capability to stick with a problem until it is resolved. They form the foundation or the structure of a child’s mental health.

Parents may be aware that the month of May has been once again designated “Mental Health Month.” Recognized for over fifty years by presidential proclamation, it is intended to raise awareness about mental health conditions and to note the importance of mental well being. Across the United States, federal, state and community organizations are working together to reduce the stigma of mental health issues.[1]

 

Dr. Gwenn Schurgin O’Keeffe
Childhood obesity is a challenging problem. As difficult as it is for a parent to acknowledge that their child is overweight, it is even more daunting for that parent to figure out how to even being to talk to the child about loosing weight. Many parents wonder if they should have the discussion at all.

Some experts worry that discussing weight issues with kids may create body image problems, problems. But many experts, including me, feel the exact opposite. It is crucial to talk with your child because overweight kids know they have a problem and are in huge pain as a result.

By Dr. Gwenn
One of the most difficult issues for new parents is deciding if a very young infant (under 2 months of age) is sick. Some people go by “look”; others seem to have built-in radar that prompts a call to the pediatrician. Pediatricians, too, develop a sixth sense with this age group. They have to because this group, above all others, deserves special attention when illness lurks.