Postpartum Depression and the Baby Blues

January 25, 2022

Parents of infants may express concerns around fluctuating emotions during the first few weeks after birth. Reassuring parents that it is totally normal to experience Baby Blues, while discussing more serious signs of PPD or PP Anxiety, is an important part of ensuring baby’s health, too. Untreated parental depression can disrupt a parent’s ability to sensitively respond to their infant, accurately read infant cues, and to engage…

Family Meals

January 18, 2022

Research suggests that regular family meals are associated with children having healthier eating habits, better academic performance, and higher self-esteem. Family meals also help with picky eating, power struggles around diet, and getting children to sit at the table for longer periods of time. When you’re discussing nutrition in any visits from 12 months on, suggest…

Anxiety About Illness

January 11, 2022

Given the uptick of COVID variants and cases, children may be experiencing even greater anxiety about sickness and death. As a provider, you can help parents give children a clear and age-appropriate explanation of this crisis, and this may stop them from making up their own explanations, which can be scary or inaccurate. Being available and willing to answer specific questions from patients can also help children feel safe and express any lingering worries. For more…

Noticing Positive Behavior

January 4, 2022

Research shows that giving attention to any behavior – positive or negative – increases the likelihood that you’ll see more of it. In the exam room, you can use the power of praise to notice and comment on positive behaviors and model this technique for parents. Try something like, “Great job taking in a deep breath. That really helps…

Being Bilingual

December 28, 2021

Many bilingual or non-native English speaking caregivers ask about the potential impact of multiple languages in the home. You can reassure them that research shows that being bilingual has MANY advantages for kids, and that there is no known language delay. In addition, in order to teach the variety and depth of language and emotion,…

Shifting Attention

December 21, 2021

In stressful moments, many children can benefit from shifting their focus out of the exam room and onto something else. Once you’ve validated any feelings a child has, you can suggest an activity or exercise to help them shift their focus away from the procedure or exam. That may go something like this, “It’s normal…

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