Parenting in a Pandemic: 5 Ways to Help Kids Keep a Positive Attitude Despite COVID Restrictions

Kids are resilient. But even they are under stress from COVID, and as the pandemic continues, they are likely feeling even more big emotions than they did before.

As parents, we want to see them thrive but may be unsure how to support our children with all of the current COVID restrictions. Here are five ways to keep your child’s positive attitude during the pandemic:

Address your child’s fears

As adults, when we hear our child’s fears, we can be tempted to brush them off or quickly soothe them and move on. We know there is nothing to be frightened of, so we want our child to recognize this truth too.

The problem is, for the child, the feeling of fear is real. And if we step in and carry our children through the difficult childhood fears, they may not develop the emotional regulation skills they need to work through fear as they mature.

The benefit to allowing your child to handle their fear is they learn to rely on themself for emotional security.

When addressing fears about COVID, allow your child to express their fear. If they name it generally, work with them to help them voice their fear as precisely as they can. Getting to the “nugget” of fear will help you guide their thinking and help them learn to manage their fear.

As you discuss their fear, it’s crucial you can discuss without bringing in any of your own fears. Your child will see that fear and internalize it, making their fear stronger and more real.

Establish healthy routines

Most children already thrive on routines. They like the predictability of what comes next because it gives them a sense of power and control. That’s why they love reading the same book over and over again. The positive ending is just as satisfying the 50th time as it is the first time.

Establishing a healthy routine for your child will give them the structure they need to mentally and physically perform their best throughout the day.

If you’re juggling a lot, or you have never really had a routine, start small. A simple strategy would be to wake up at the same time each day and change into daytime clothes—no sleeping in until midday and no staying in PJs all day long.

Even this small routine will set up your children for better productivity. Treating the school day as naturally as possible will trigger their internal “go to work” mentality no matter their current schooling situation.

It would be great to incorporate some outdoor time into your routine to encourage even better physical and mental health. Especially for younger children, whose brains seem to short-circuit after too much sitting time, it is important to find several opportunities for recess or downtime. Even the routine of a short afternoon walk through the neighborhood will help.

Use positive discipline

When children have big emotions, their confusion about how to process them can erupt into “bad behavior.” And many children have big emotions about the pandemic, from not being in school to not being able to socialize normally with friends.

Add to the behavior the strong emotions parents are feeling, and you have a home situation ripe for raised voices and a lot of punishing.

The problem is, punishment doesn’t work. Because, for your child, negative attention is still attention.

Instead, work to use positive discipline. This means you actively plan and look for positive ways to interact with your child each day. The more positive attention they get from you, the less compelling negative attention is.

The added benefit is that when you use positive discipline, you can then ignore the negative behavior. Ignoring it cuts off the stimulus. You are giving no reaction to what they are doing. If they are getting attention from you in other, positive ways, they will quickly choose not to engage in negative behavior. And noticing their positive behavior is more fun for you too!

An important caveat to remember: make sure you intervene when their negative behavior results in them hurting themself or someone else.

Encourage good hygiene

We know that one of the best ways to keep us healthy from any disease is to practice good hygiene. Now it’s even more vital that we encourage our children to learn these habits.

While older children may easily understand why you’re asking them to wash their hands more often, younger children will not make the connection between COVID and clean hands as quickly.

Washing hands is a great way to introduce the concepts of why in a child-safe way. Cleaning to a fun song and laughing about getting any “yucky germs” off of their hands gives them a sense of easy empowerment. It is something they can do to help protect themselves and the people they love.

Set a good example for them

Our children are looking to us to see how to react to COVID. So, if you want your child to practice mitigating procedures while remaining as positive as possible about their experiences, then that’s what you need to work for too.

You don’t have to be perfect at it, but you need to show them the behavior you would like to see. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, make sure you take a break. No, you may not be able to get together for an evening with your close friends, but you can still go for a walk, take a long shower, or even sit on the front step with a mug of hot tea and enjoy the silence.

Showing your child how you manage your emotions will help them learn to manage theirs. You can encourage them to work through what they feel and think by letting them talk about their thoughts without interruption. A journal for kids is another excellent way to let them express themself.

By setting a good example for how to act and respond during stressful times and situations, you give your child the tools they need to respond appropriately to their stresses.

Conclusion

As the pandemic continues, we may need to reset our strategies and practices to detail the regulations. Parenting is challenging under ordinary circumstances, but it has become even more stressful now.

We want to help our children through the situation, and we can. We need to recognize how our behavior and reactions are serving our goal or not.

Factors to Consider Before Buying Onesies for Your Baby

First-time parents face many challenges. From taking care of children to buying clothes for them, the teething problems can’t be overlooked. For instance, it might sound and seem easy to buy an onesie for kids as long as a young couple has the money. 

However, buying onesies for your child is more than just having money or visiting the most prestigious fashion stores. This guide walks you through the factors to consider when buying onesies for your newborn baby.

 

1. Safety First

Safety first! It’s worth noting that your child’s safety is more important than anything. Yes, it’s fine for your kid to look smart. However, safety is paramount. When buying onesies, pay attention to items like frills and ribbons. If these items aren’t attached well to the baby’s onesie, they could compromise its safety. The baby can easily pull off these items. They can also strangulate the baby.

 

2. Buy a Few at a Time

Most first-time parents who love their babies like showering them with love. They don’t spare anything within their power to express care and love for their little angels. No matter how beautiful the onesies are, it’s prudent to avoid buying them in bulk because your little angel grows fast. Thus, they will outgrow them before they use them.

So, just buy enough pieces to take your kid for the first three months. Afterward, go back and get others to take them for the next three to six months. If you want to enjoy economies of scale, then buy them in various sizes. For example, buy them in sizes that will fit your baby when they are one or two years. 

 

3. Mind Your Baby’s Health

Your little angel’s health is also paramount, at the same level as its safety. Therefore, your onesie choice should factor in your baby’s health. For example, pay special attention to the clothing tags behind the necklines. 

Put yourself in the baby’s shoe and consider how your tags feel on your skin. Most likely, you have worn a shirt or blouse with an irritating tag. Thus, remove them after purchasing your baby’s onesie. Alternatively, choose tag-free onesies to save your baby avoidable irritation.

Also, pay attention to any metal button on the onesie because some could cause allergic reactions in some babies. You should watch out for this possibility if allergies flow in your family or your spouse’s family line. Don’t forget that some onesie makers add chemical finishes to their onesies to avoid shrinkage. Unfortunately, some of them cause skin irritation. 

 

4. Pick the Right Size 

You should also pay attention to size matters because baby onesies come in different sizes based on age. However, babies grow at different rates. Thus, factor in your baby’s body size and growth rate when settling out size matters. For instance, your child could have a smaller or bigger body size than its age mates. So, choose the size based on your baby’s body size and not age alone. 

Additionally, you can buy a larger onesie your baby can grow with. Only ensure that it’s not too big to appear as if it’s “wearing the baby.”

 

5. Fabric Matters

Lastly, choose the most comfortable materials that won’t irritate your baby’s soft skin. You may opt for pure cotton or cotton mixed with some synthetic materials like polyester. 

There you go with the facts and factors to help you choose the best onesie for kids. The ball is in your court to use them to give your baby the best onesie they deserve.

How to Manage Your Time as a Parent

Being a parent is a massive game of tug of war that can feel like you’ll never win.  From keeping up with your kids’ education to helping them with hobbies, cleaning, laundry, and then doing your job and trying to keep up with a life and personality of your own all while looking at Vancouver homes for sale: there’s a lot to be overwhelmed by.  Instead of trying to perfect your child’s life or become a hover parent that every child fears- here are things you can do to help manage your own time as a parent.

 

Work On The Go

Unfortunately, multitasking is a large part of every parent’s life.  The best way to handle this is to make it work for you instead of bending to work around all of the things you have to do.  Make a list of the things you need to do in a day, and figure out which items can be done simultaneously.  Do you have to wait for the water to boil while you make pasta?  Take that eight minutes to gather everyone’s laundry into the washer.  Does the floor need to get vacuumed while you’re listening to a lecture for work?  Pop in the headphones and get to work on both!

 

Don’t Become The Everything Person.

Whether you’re in a relationship or have kids, you don’t live alone if you’re with family.  Don’t fear asking for help and making it clear what you need. If your husband decides he’d instead not vacuum, or your wife doesn’t like the feeling of handwashing dishes, that’s fine- barter out a deal so that they’ll still do other things.  Many people take their household’s weight onto their shoulders when they can and should work with others.  If all else fails, offering your kids an allowance is a time tested way to get them to pitch in around the home!

 

Rework How You Do Laundry

What problem is most extensive in your household?  For many families, laundry can be a source of stress and frustration.  Instead of saving all of your clothes for the weekend, work to do a couple of smaller loads during the week.  This plan could mean that everyone has to put their laundry in the washer at the end of the day, and when it’s full, it’s time to run it- or that you gather laundry into the washer on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays before dinner and toss it in the dryer after dinner.  Doing more loads spread out makes it easier to manage and allows you the chance to avoid the dreaded giant pile-up of unfolded clothes.  Work in small batches and get it over with!

 

Make Sure You Rest

Don’t run yourself ragged.  If you’re tired and unhappy, you won’t be able to keep up with the work around you.  Get at least seven to nine hours of sleep every night, and make sure you’re mindful and considerate of yourself.  Although we like to think of ourselves as parenting machines, we’re just people trying to raise other people.  It’s okay to take a break.

Incorporating Technology in Speech Therapy

Kids with delayed speech often need the assistance of a professional speech language pathologist (SLP) to help them communicate best.

The words “speech language pathology” don’t normally prompt the thought of technology, but maybe they should. It’s becoming a fast reality that technology is becoming more and more prevalent in the field of Speech Language Pathology. When one normally thinks of speech therapy, what it is and what it offers, it seems like a strange fit at first. But after exploring all the benefits of integrating technology into speech therapy, it’s a wonder why no one thought of this sooner.

To begin with, let’s think of the place that technology holds in the world as we know it. It’s everywhere! It is a rare day that we go without using some sort of technological device. Our phones are practically surgically attached to our hands. Our laptops are as present as our shadows. In school, children are expected to know how to research topics on the Internet and hand in typed papers, at younger and younger ages. Technology is working its way into all aspects of our lives. New developments in medicine, breakthroughs in science, are all based on technology. It’s the trend of the future; everything is gravitating in that direction. It shouldn’t come as much of a shock that we are seeing technologies devoted to SLP beginning to emerge.

The truth of the matter is, kids nowadays are born into a technological world; learning to work an iPhone is becoming almost instinctual. Technology naturally grabs their attention and engages them. It is important to use this aspect of modern life in children’s benefits. Additionally, the kids receiving therapy will be growing up in a world where they will be expected to use technology on a daily basis. It isn’t a bad idea to expose them to what they will need to know how to use in the future.

The pandemic accelerated a trend that started earlier regarding online speech therapy sessions. While before the coronavirus crisis, the norm for speech therapy sessions was in-person sessions, lately more and more kids and parents discover the benefits of online speech therapy.

Then there are the speech therapy apps; they are made for the kids, but the settings were structured for the adults. These app settings are advanced enough to let you add patient profiles into the app, complete with information such as what they are working on presently. Parents can also learn additional things via apps and can be more involved this way. They can even practice for the tests occupational therapists take via some apps.

And then there is of course Youtube. There are so many good resources on Youtube that therapists, parents and kids can all use alike. Apart from the professional resources for therapists, Youtube is filled with videos of nursery rhymes such as Humpty Dumpty that can be used for kids with speech difficulties to practice. Singing repetitive songs is a way for kids to improve on their language skills.

Are there any drawbacks, you ask? As is the fear with all technology, it may lead to a slight tuning out of the real world if not managed properly. At the end of the day, as wonderful and helpful as technology can be, it is simply a machine. It is important to remember that the ultimate goal of speech therapy is communication. And communication involves social interaction. The kids need to be reminded that they need to talk to other people. All of these technologies are incredible to use as tools, but as tools only. It is important to stress to the children that it isn’t enough to play with an iPad, but to remember what they worked on using the iPad and apply that in real-life, with real people.

How to Adjust to Working Remotely with Kids During COVID-19

It can be said that this year started pretty normally. However, soon the world faced something unimaginable that would soon become a new reality for all of us. What seemed like a local epidemic soon turned into a worldwide fight against coronavirus. As social distance along with masks has become a primary weapon against the virus, the traditional ways of schools and workplaces have faced drastic changes.

Adapting to online classes wasn’t easy for both parents and children, especially not for parents who need to work remotely.

Juggling work and parenthood is always challenging, but with this pandemic, the challenge has become even harder. Finding a balance between doing your job, helping your kid with school, maintaining a somehow normal life routine and, trying to survive a pandemic sound almost impossible. Adjustment can’t happen overnight.

A Good Organization Is a Key

If you are forced to work from home, it’s easy to fall into the temptation of doing a bare minimum. Staying all day in pajamas, eating irregularly, and having no schedule sounds like an easier solution. However, this will not work in the long run. Having a fixed schedule that imitates a normal school day helped many working parents. This way, your kids will have their routine to follow while you are busy with work.

Having a schedule doesn’t only apply to your kids. For each day, make yourself a schedule that includes how long you will work, when the break time is, what you need to accomplish that day, etc. If you are your boss, your schedule can be a little more flexible. If your child needs attention, you can take a small break to spend time with them. Just make sure taking breaks too often doesn’t become a habit that will interfere with your work.

Good Communication with Your Colleagues

Since the pandemic happened unexpectedly, no one was prepared for lockdowns and working from home. Mistakes like kids barging into the meeting, happened regularly, even before the pandemic. This can be easily solved with good communication with your colleagues. It’s not wrong to say to your colleagues that you have kids at home and, that sometimes these incidents can happen. You will see that everyone will understand as many of your colleagues are in the same situation too.

In this situation, an employee app can be of great help. With this app, you can be up to date and stay connected. In one place, you can share or access all pre-planned meetings, shared files, and ideas without using an email. It’s easier to adjust to a new situation with modern apps as an ally.

Don’t Forget to Communicate with Your Children

Kids are very smart, and they will understand the situation if you explain it to them clearly. Talk to them about the importance of your work, and make a deal to be calm during the meeting. If you have older kids, they will be busy with their school responsibilities, so you will have an easier time juggling work and parenting. However, if you have a preschooler and younger kids, instead of communication, use routine to your advantage. Try scheduling an important meeting during a time of your child’s naptime, or use that time to do an important task.  If it’s not up to you to decide on the time of the meeting, play a favorite cartoon to keep your child entertained. Also, try having the same routine every day   , so you can make your schedule around the kid’s routine.

 

Get Help from Your Family

If you are in a situation to get help, use it as much as you can. If your spouse is also working remotely, you can alternate shifts. One of you can work in the mornings and the other in the evenings, so your kids will be under constant supervision. Another possibility is to alternate shifts every 4 hours.

If this is not possible in your situation, have your older kids to watch over the younger ones. Also, if you live with parents or relatives, they can watch after kids for a couple of hours.

Make Space in Your Home Just for Work

To successfully juggle work and parenting, you must try to separate these two at home. It might sound impossible as both are happing at the same place, but it’s imperative. Find a comfortable and possibly quiet place. It would be ideal to turn one room into an office. But if you can’t, find a corner of a room or a table to serve as your office. Try to avoid using a couch or a bed as a working place, as these places are associated with relaxing.

 

What to do when your teen has a drinking problem

The drinking problem is an umbrella term that encompasses heavy drinking, binge drinking, and alcohol use disorder. The person loses control over alcohol intake, and there are withdrawal symptoms involving intense craving and a negative emotional state. Studies reveal that more than a million people all across the globe suffer from this disorder. Alcohol use disorder or AUD is not just limited to adults but also adolescence between the age of thirteen and seventeen suffer.

 

Early age alcohol abuse may lead to dangerous long term consequences on a person’s health. It also increases the risk of other substance addiction and abuse patterns. Moreover, a negative impact on internal organs and problems in brain development may also follow. It is crucial to learn about how to help teenagers who are struggling with alcohol use disorder.

 

The dangers of alcohol use disorder in teens

 

Developing alcohol use disorder in the formative years of life may lead to severe health and legal consequences. It makes the person dependent on all alcohol in the later part of life. Moreover, it enhances the risk of stroke, heart diseases, liver diseases, mood disorders, and many kinds of cancer. Teenage drinking is a significant contributor to death resulting from injuries.

 

The risk of developing other forms of addiction and Polydrug abusers also heightens. It leads to engagement in risky sexual behavior, becoming victims of sexual assault, and getting into serious accidents, particularly physical fights and car crashes. Alcohol hampers the functioning of some areas in the brain, which may lead to reduced neuroplasticity, poor memory, decreased ability to learn, and changes in behavior.

 

The ways of inferring alcohol abuse in adolescence

 

There physical signs that can tell you whether the teenager is abusing alcohol. They include a deterioration in appearance, change in sleep pattern and appetite, bloodshot eyes, staggering academic activities, change in social groups, degraded coordination, demanding privacy and becoming isolated, stealing of cash, lying about probable alcohol abuse, mood swings, and other related behavioral changes.

 

The best treatment options for adolescence

 

The parents or guardians of the teenager have the legal right to force the child into treatment, making intervention necessary. They may have to arrange for relevant rehabilitation and detox process. The treatment method is available in both outpatient and inpatient options. However, the focus needs to be on developing a unique program for each personality. The treatment approach must cover the whole nature of the teenager rather than just focusing on substance abuse. These include social, academics, personal and creative issues.

 

  • Outpatient rehabilitation program: many people opt for this option because they feel the child is safe at home with their parents. Moreover, the treatment allows the adolescent to attend school during regular hours. They have different kinds of sessions designed according to the case in focus. Following the sessions regularly may help the teenager to overcome the problems associated with alcohol abuse.

 

  • Inpatient treatment: it is useful for those teenagers who have serious addiction issues and co-occurring mental illness. The method works with an approach of modifying all the aspects of the teenager’s personality. The inpatient drug and alcohol rehab focuses on therapies and sessions that can help the person fight and win drug abuse. The different programs so designed, does not give enough time to the teenagers to think about drugs. The continued support on a 24/7 basis helps the individual to get the much-needed support that they want. It relieves them of all the anxiety and depression. Since access to the outer world is limited, it positively affects their reach to drugs and alcohol. It thereby curtails the risk of relapse.

 

  • Adolescent-focused recovery program: these are mostly outpatient programs that provide room for the teenagers to continue with their schooling and daily activities. They help meet the local and state education requirements. Studies reveal that brief interventions may work well to help the adolescent end the substance abuse problem. The support provided by behavioral therapy is adequate for teenagers who are into heavy drinking, abusing drugs, binge drinking, etc. The programs focus on developing solidarity between teenagers and their parents. They believe that a strong association between them can help the teenager open up regarding their problems before their parents. 

 

Visiting college may not mean relapse

 

After recovering from alcohol use disorder, they slowly return to everyday life. However, sending them to college may be intimidating. It is because college campuses are popular for drinking events. Since they are on their own, parents often fear sending their children to meet their academic requirements.

 

Fortunately, many educational institutions are trying to develop ways to support students recovering from the disorder. They try to promote small groups of students getting together for various events that do not involve drugs or alcohol. You must know that the inpatient alcohol rehab in Maine focuses on teenagers’ importance of getting back to college life. It is because they feel that getting back to college will give them a feeling of normalcy. They provide the necessary resources for treatment and recovery. The continued provision for psychologists, medical professionals, and therapists helps the teenager overcome substance abuse easily.

 

Providing support to the adolescence through their recovery process is very crucial. Learning how to speak about the risks of alcohol and drug abuse, distinguishing myths from facts during the treatment process, supporting sobriety at home is critical. Parents need to make use of the necessary resources to get their children the best possible treatment option.

5 Factors to Consider When Choosing Child Custody Attorneys

Are you and your ex-spouse at odds for who will get custody of your children after the divorce is finalized? Are you afraid that they’ll try and use a few actions in the past to strengthen their case? if so, then you need to search for reputable child custody attorneys.

Doing so can help you have guidance throughout this process. You hoped this day would never come, but a child custody lawyer can help you make a case for yourself.

See below for several factors that you should consider while you search for the child custody attorney to represent your side during these trying times.

 

1. Use References and Reviews as Your Guide

Unless you’ve gone through a child custody battle before, you probably aren’t sure where to turn to find a reputable child custody attorney. Fortunately, you live in an age where all the information is available via the digital world.

For that reason, it’s always advantageous to use online reviews to find a trustworthy lawyer with actual child custody experience. 

While the ratings are a nice feature to glance over, they don’t tell the whole story. A lawyer can pay people to askew those ratings in their favor. Pay more attention to the comments, that’s where you’ll get a taste for what they’re like from a client’s perspective.

Take the time to read through the comments and ask yourself a few things. Did they hire the lawyer for a child custody battle? What was the outcome? Would they recommend them to others? Did the attorney help or hinder the process?

All of these questions can help point you in the right direction. If you get a bad feeling about an attorney you speak with, turn the other way. Find a child custody lawyer that you feel like you can trust. It will help your case immensely.

 

2. Child Custody Experience

We briefly mentioned it in the last point, but it bears worth repeating, you must hire an attorney with years of experience with child custody cases. Not doing so is sacrificing your entire case over a battle you can’t afford to lose.

Too many people give the advantage to their ex-spouse by hiring a family lawyer who specializes in something other than family law. This is a huge disadvantage for your side.

The family law process contains several loopholes and stages in the process. You need to hire someone with the experience and the know-how to build your case, use tried-and-true strategies, and can compile the right kind of evidence to help you win.

On the flip side of that, don’t hire a family law attorney just because they helped someone you know to win their child custody battle. Every situation is different. For all you know, their custody battle may have been more black and white than yours is.

 

3. Optimal Communication

Imagine hiring a child custody attorney for your case and not hearing much from them leading up to the trial. Even worse, you might find out they’ve been making certain moves (like trying to settle) without getting your consent.

If the situation is even somewhat amicable, you don’t want to risk causing tension from hiring a lawyer with poor communication. You want to hire one that listens first, then alters their course of action based on what you want.

More importantly, you should never be left in the dark with your own case. You need a family law practitioner who has excellent communication skills. Someone that will fill you in every step of the way.

There’s also the matter of hiring someone that can take over the communication needs with the opposition if you’re going the pretrial route. This can help you find a solution before the intensity heats up in a courtroom.

 

4. Price

Price is always a factor in finding the attorney that you hire. You want to do all that it takes to win the child custody battle, but you also have to consider your financial situation.

Many people try to avoid the conversation, but in doing so, you might cause yourself a greater amount of financial strain. Something that you’re already experiencing enough of during the divorce process.

It’s better to bring this question up right away. Ask them to give you a quote on everything from courtroom fees, lawyer fees, and so on. Make sure you have a firm understanding of the factors that could cause the price to fluctuate as well.

 

5. Chemistry

You could hire the most well-regarded child custody attorney in the entire state, but if you find them off-putting, your trial might be sabotaged in the process.

Chemistry is a more important factor than most people might think. You want someone that can empathize with your situation and genuinely cares about the outcome. It will drive them to do all they can to help you win.

If you talk to a family law attorney and love the way that you’re hitting it off with them from the jump, don’t hesitate to act on it. As long as they have the child custody experience you need, it can make the entire process less stressful for you.

 

Find the Best Child Custody Attorneys for Your Situation

Now that you have seen all the different factors to consider as you search for child custody attorneys to represent you, be sure to use them all as you look for the perfect fit.

Don’t hesitate to be thorough. This is an important decision and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Take as long as you need until you find someone that you’re comfortable and confident in.

Be sure to browse our website for more articles on family law, as well as many other helpful topics that you will enjoy.

Maternal Serum Screening: What Is It and How To Interpret the Results

Pregnancy is an exciting time. Each stage of pregnancy is different and as your due date gets closer, morning sickness and fatigue begin to subside as your baby grows. During pregnancy, scheduling routine visits with your OB/GYN is necessary so that you can keep up with routine testing and make sure that you and your baby are in good health. During your pregnancy, your OBGYN may recommend maternal serum screening. This is a quick, outpatient procedure that can help you better plan for your baby’s future.

What is maternal serum screening?

Maternal serum screening, or a quad screen, is a type of prenatal genetic testing that analyzes four substances in your blood –– alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin, estriol, and inhibin A. 

Doctors usually recommend maternal serum screening between weeks 15-22 of your pregnancy. It can help determine if your baby has an increased risk of Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome, neural tube, or abdominal wall defects.

What are the types of maternal serum screening?

There are two distinct types of maternal serum screening:

Combined First Trimester Screening (CFTS). CFTS is a type of maternal serum screening that takes place between weeks 9-13 of your pregnancy. CFTS determines your baby’s risk of certain genetic abnormalities by evaluating a blood sample and a nuchal translucency ultrasound. 

Second Trimester Manual Serum Screening (2TMSS). 2TMSS only requires a blood sample. During 2TMSS, your OB/GYN or general practitioner will insert a needle into a vein in your arm to get a sample of blood. They will then send your sample to a laboratory that can provide results in as little as a week.

Who can benefit from maternal serum screening?

Any woman who is pregnant can benefit from maternal serum screening. The test is optional, but is worth considering if you’re 35 or older, have a family history of developmental irregularities, or are living with Type 1 diabetes.

Maternal serum screening is more than just a blood test. Your OB/GYN or general practitioner evaluates your sample based on your age, ethnicity, and weight. They use this information to determine your baby’s risk of a genetic abnormality. 

Maternal serum screening doesn’t confirm a diagnosis. If you receive an abnormal result, you can choose to investigate risks further with additional testing.

What do the results of maternal serum screening mean?

Maternal serum screening evaluates the levels of four specific hormones in your blood. Here’s what some of those results might mean:

  • High levels of alpha-fetoprotein indicate a neural tube defect like anencephaly or spina bifida. It can also indicate that your baby is older than you thought, or that you’re expecting twins.
  • Lower than normal levels of alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, and inhibin A indicate your baby is at an increased risk of Down syndrome or Edwards syndrome.
  • Lower than normal levels of estriol may also indicate that your baby is at an increased risk of Down syndrome or Edwards syndrome.

How accurate is maternal serum screening?

Maternal serum screening isn’t 100% accurate, but it has a proven track record of success. Research suggests that, combined first-trimester screening (CFTS), maternal serum screening can accurately predict 9 of 10 pregnancies affected by Down syndrome. Second-trimester maternal serum screening (2TMSS) can accurately predict 75-80% of pregnancies affected by Down syndrome.

Once you receive the results of your maternal serum screening, your OB/GYN or general practitioner can refer you to a genetic counselor who can answer any questions you may have about your results.

Helping Your Teen With Drug Abuse – What Options Do You Have?

Addiction related problems can crop up in your life quite suddenly. That is predominantly because addiction is a gradual process and takes years to develop. In the first few weeks and months, you won’t even notice that anything is amiss – and before long, you will find yourself in the clutches of substance abuse, quite permanently.

Addiction has various names and faces – cocaine, heroin, opiates, and alcohol are, to name a few. There are no benefits to anyone of them, and all of them are harmful to the same degree. It starts as a health hazard and later grows to become a compounded problem when family and friends get involved. Moreover, there are several psychological problems associated with drug addiction, as well.

What constitutes abuse?

Regular usage of any drug will constitute abuse. This goes for the prescribed pain medications as well. In America, the root cause of drug-related addiction and abuse has been painkillers and over the counter medications. It is also vital to understand the most susceptible of the lot regarding drug abuse and related complications are teenagers.

The young and rebellious attitude makes teens seek out newer experiences and experiments, which leads to gateway drugs, which soon develops into a full-blown addiction problem. However, drug rehab for adolescents is the perfect solution to these problems and allows a teen to better integrate into society following rehabilitation and treatment.  

About cocaine addiction treatment

Cocaine is one of the most potent stimulants that is sold all over the world. There are various street forms of cocaine available with dubious purity and quality. It essentially activates the brain’s reward system, and that feeling induces the effect of “high.” It is quite an effective drug and one of the most addictive substances out there in the world today. Moreover, the ease of usage means the drug can reach far reaches and corners of society.

Complications following long term cocaine usage

The following is a list of all the complications that arise from prolonged cocaine abuse,

Headaches
Viral hepatitis
Heart attacks
Respiratory failure
Blood-borne diseases
Severe allergic reactions
Stomach pain and nausea
Abnormal heart rhythms or chest pain
Bowel gangrene (tissue death)

Repeated high doses will build tolerance towards the drug and compound the issues by further compromising the body’s already damaged areas. Also, repeated high doses will lead to restlessness, anxiety, and irritable syndromes, which can slide into paranoia and psychosis quite easily or under the effect of external stressors. This is when an individual starts to lose touch with reality.

How to get rid of addiction?

When it comes to getting free from addiction-related troubles, the key thing to remember is motivation. It would be best if you were motivated enough to remember when you could have the same enjoyment from a day without resorting to drugs. You need to understand that somewhere during the haze of drugs, you convinced yourself that the quality of life improves under drugs’ influence. However, in reality, the drugs never added anything; instead harmed your physical and mental faculties.

However, it is not all that dreary, and through hard work along with determination, you can bring your life back on track. It would be best to enroll in a professional and reputed drug rehabilitation center, which will transform your life through careful training, therapy, and medication under expert supervision.

Here is what you are looking for when you check into a rehab.

Contingency Management

This entails incentives and gifts as prizes to bring out positive motivation in drug-addicted individuals. Patients are work together towards a common goal, i.e., the number-of-days-clean. These gifts include healthy lifestyle coupons, movie tickets, gym memberships, and many more.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

It allows the individual to understand the triggers and the situations that prompt them to use the drug. It is one of the crucial factors for an addict to identify and understand. The more you are aware of the problem, the better you get at trying to avoid them. Professional councilors work with the patients to work out strategies to avoid the stressors to prevent a relapse.

Community help

Group activities and community outreach programs are the best for having a helping hand around when you are at your lowest. Several drug-free residencies are available where peers will help you to deal with the issues at hand. You can opt for inpatient services or have a sit and join-in session as an outpatient member.

Even after you finish your rehab stint, you will still have to attend the regular check-ups and meetings to build accountability and trust. However, a rehabilitation program is the only way if you are serious about quitting and getting ahead of your addiction-related troubles. All the best!

How to Find The Right Confinement Centre

Cultures may have different confinement practices and traditions but the objectives remain relevant- to provide the care and support new mothers need in order for them to recover physically after childbirth and help them transition smoothly into motherhood considering all the emotional challenges. Confinement typically takes place up to 30 to 45 days following delivery.

Ideally, mothers or elder female relatives of new parents help with confinement but if that would not be possible, moms turn to confinement services, which are very helpful in these modern times. It is so much easier to find a confinement lady these days because you can simply go online and do your search. You also have the option to choose a confinement service that works for you. However, not all confinement centres are equal. If it is your health and safety that are at stake, you need to know how to choose the right confinement centre in Penang or in other locations, for that matter. If you aren’t sure which confinement centre to choose.

Let this guide help you find the right one.

Search online or ask referrals for confinement centres

To find the right confinement centre in Penang, you need to get to know the best ones around. It is easy to search for numerous companies because you can simply go online, but it is hard to know which ones are the best. What you can do is ask for friends or relatives’ referrals. Ask about their experience with a particular company so you can get a firsthand review of someone you trust. Consider their recommendations and include them in your shortlist. If they do not have past experience, check out reviews of the most recommended centres online.

Check the qualifications of confinement ladies

Confinement services may be based on tradition, but they need qualifications and certifications. They will be responsible with you and your newborn, so you should be at ease that your confinement lady is qualified for the responsibility. They are not just elder women who know how to babysit, but they should be trained about proper hygiene, baby bathing, confinement meals preparation and others.

Ask about experience

The main service of a confinement centre is providing confinement ladies for new moms. The lady should have ample experience in taking care of a mother who had just given birth and her newborn. She may be trained but that might not be enough, for experience matters a lot especially in this role because she cannot afford to make major mistakes. She must have at least a year of experience apart from training.

Caring for a newborn and a mom who had just given birth is not an easy task that is why most moms are very careful in picking their confinement lady from a reputable centre.