How Does Occupational Therapy Help Kids?

     Most people are familiar with occupational therapy for adults, which develops skills for the job of living. For children, occupational therapy focuses on skills for the job of playing.

     Pediatric occupational therapists guide children from ages birth and up to help them learn new skills or regain function after an injury. Occupational therapy can help with children who have autism, developmental delay, fine motor delay, cerebral palsy, sensory processing dysfunction, hemiplegia (the paralysis of one side of the body), and problems with motor coordination.

Jump If You Have Abdominal Pain!

     When my son was six, he experienced a horrible flu bug. Maybe it was the norovirus—to this day, I’ll never know. After three days of fever, throwing up, extreme fatigue, and numerous calls to the nurse line, I took my son to the pediatrician. “We must get to the bottom of this,” I demanded. The pediatrician had my son jump off a step to see if the sudden movement caused him any pain. Why? My doctor was checking for appendicitis. 

So what is an appendix?

Rabies and the Great Outdoors

     I don’t know about you guys, but I have been loving the unseasonably warm weather we have been having this year. (Although I am worried about what temperatures will be like in August. Yikes!) There are any number of fun activities that open up to us when the weather is nice. From a simple walk or run, to a picnic with friends or family, to going for a hike, there is no end to the fun that awaits us outdoors.

     However, there are also certain dangers that we may face when we head outdoors. One such danger is running across wild or stray animals with rabies.

The Roadblock to the Doc

     Why do some people avoid going to the doctor? Is it a gender thing? As caregivers, women can run out of time and energy for their own doctor appointments after carting everyone else around. Men need to go to the doctor less frequently since they don’t have the annual GYN exam. Sometimes it boils down to a lack of finances, insurance, or time off. And some people just don’t like sitting in the waiting room thumbing through the latest Kim Kardashian gossip.

Barefoot Running: Good or Bad?

     Ok, there is something you need to know about me: I love new technology. It doesn’t matter what it is. A new iPad? Sign me up! Electric cars? Sounds great! There’s a refrigerator that can keep track of when your milk expires?! Tell me more! 

How about a new type of shoe that is shaped exactly like your foot? More like a foot glove than a shoe really.

Get Smart on Seasonal Allergies

A field of flowers or allergens? 

     Sneezing, wheezing, runny nose, itchy-red eyes, postnasal drip, cough, and changes in your energy level—to some of us, spring is not kind. Pollen, dust mites, or pet danders bring about a cold-like sensation, but what’s really going on is hay fever or allergic rhinitis.

     One in five people suffer from seasonal allergies, so if you are experiencing these symptoms, you’re not alone. You can stay indoors, loading up on over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants, or prescription nasal sprays, but opening your watery eyes to the environment around you can help too.

Behind the Scenes: A Look Into The Life Of A Trauma Surgeon

Dr. Marc Kross, surgeon-in-chief,
Meritus Medical Center Trauma Services

It takes a special kind of person to commit to life as a trauma surgeon.

Consider this job description: You must like long and irregular hours. You must be willing to work weekends and holidays. You carry around a pager that is constantly buzzing. You must be able to diagnose and manage extremely complex injuries while a patient’s life is hanging in the balance. You have to be prepared to deal with any kind of injury ranging from gunshot wounds, to stabbings, to multiple rib fractures, to blunt force trauma. Oh, and before you can even take on this job you must go through four years of medical school, a five year general surgery residency, and a two-year trauma surgery or critical care fellowship.

Occupational Therapy: What is it? Who can it help?

Amber Kress, OT

Have you ever had an injury or a surgical procedure that made it difficult to accomplish your day-to-day activities? If so, you could have benefited from occupational therapy.

What is occupational therapy? Well, according to Amber Kress, an occupational therapist with Total Rehab Care, that can be a difficult question to answer.

Radon: Is It Hiding in Your House?

Did you know that about twice as many people die each year from radon exposure than from drunk driving accidents, falls in the home, drownings or home fires, according to the Enivronmental Protection Agency? Did you know that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking? It’s true.

Radon is a toxic gas that is created when certain elements found in soil naturally decay. When this happens, radon moves up through the soil and into the air above. From there, radon can enter your home through cracks in walls and floors, construction joints, gaps in suspended floors and around pipes, and cavities inside walls. Once it has gotten into your home, the radon becomes trapped and starts to build up.