Simplifying the Skill of Reading
Reading may seem like a natural skill, but the demands it places on the visual system are surprisingly complicated. That’s why for some students, reading is a struggle. Our eyes are designed to look straight ahead at a three-dimensional world, but the demands of school force students to spend up to 75% of their time […]
9 tips to take the anxiety out of trying to conceive
“For many women, getting pregnant can be a frustrating and anxiety-filled experience. It certainly was for me, which is why I was inspired to write ‘The Impatient Woman’s Guide to Getting Pregnant,’” said Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D, whose book offers tips for women who are trying to conceive. Try the following tips: Get off the […]
Traveling Late in Pregnancy
Traveling while pregnant has many ups and downs. It may be for a much-needed pre-baby vacation, or for a family or work function that can’t be missed. Wherever you are headed, make sure you are prepared and stay safe along the way. Be Prepared: Look into travel insurance. If your trip gets cancelled at the […]
How to Give Kids Freedom Within Limits
While at the beach standing amid a large crowd waiting for sea turtles to be released, I watched a 2-year-old struggle in her mother’s arms. She wanted to get down and play in the sand with the other children, but mom was concerned she would run off. What mom did next was a metaphor for […]
Moms & Daughters in the Exam Room
Periodically, I like to revisit the interactions between mothers and their daughters that I witness in the exam room. After all, there are a lot of new mothers and new daughters since I wrote my last column on the subject. The age of the daughter, like most things in pediatrics, often determines what happens in […]
Summer: Good Time to Improve Reading
Summer can be an ideal time for your children to practice reading by choosing books that interest them. This is just one suggestion by Dr. Rick Graebe, a behavioral optometrist and Vision Therapy specialist in Versailles. Other ways to help your child include: Read for fun Whether it’s comic books or picture books, find ones […]
Responsive vs. Reactive Parenting
When you find yourself frequently “reacting” to your children’s behavior, your “fight, flight, freeze or faint” response is being triggered. You are at risk for chronic stress and your mental and physical health can suffer. When you aren’t at your best, it is harder for your children to be at theirs. Before you are about […]
Breastfeeding: What A Long, Strange Trip It’s Been!
Ever wonder how breastfeeding practices have changed over the years? Well, on May 31, I retired from 30 years of breastfeeding promotion work at the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department. So let’s look back at the long, strange trip surrounding this most human of behaviors! In 1987 when I started, WIC (Women, Infants and Children) was […]
Breastfeeding Resources
At Your Hospital: All area birthing hospitals provide the following. Call them for details. Prenatal Breastfeeding Classes Lactation Consultant help during your hospital stay Lactation Clinic to return to after you’ve gone home On-Line: La Leche League International: www.llli.org American Academy of Pediatrics breastfeeding information: www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/default.aspx www.kellymom.com http://womenshealth.gov/itsonlynatural www.dol.gov/whd/nursingmothers Prenatal Breastfeeding Classes: There are several […]
How Dads Can Bond With Babies
Much has been said and written about the bond between mothers and their babies. Fathers can also bond with their babies. Their presence and participation in the lives of their infants can be a positive factor in their development and for the family in general. A father’s part in a baby’s relationship can start before […]
New Technology Treats Brain Injuries
Ever the innovator and admirer of cutting edge technology, Dr. Rick Graebe wasted no time adding a new device to his practice’s toolbox – RightEye. “The day the new portable model was available they shipped it to us,” said Graebe, a behavioral optometrist in Versailles. The new model features special software that helps measure eye […]
The Best Motivation Comes From Within
Many people believe that in order to get results people must be offered incentives to do better and given penalties for failing to perform. These external forms of motivation can produce short-term results but fail over the long term. The most successful people rely on internal motivation, and there are ways for children to develop […]
Vision Therapy Also Helps Seniors
We all know that as we age our bodies lag behind. We can’t run as fast, lift as much, even stay awake as long as we once did. The same thing is true of our eyes and visual systems, said Dr. Rick Graebe, a behavioral optometrist in Versailles. By age 60, Dr. Graebe said, everyone’s […]
New Rules for Use of Allergy Foods
For many years the official guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (and other organizations) have recommended delaying the feeding of solids to infants to help prevent asthma and allergies. The theory went that the younger infants were introduced to certain foods, the more likely they were to trigger allergic (atopic) disease. Certain foods, such […]
Safely Buying Secondhand
Spring weekends are full of yard sales and great deals, which is handy if you are trying to save money for a baby on the way. But not all baby gear is safe to purchase secondhand. Here are some tips to help you stay safe when bargain shopping: Check for recalls. Several websites, such as […]
How to Discipline Without Timeouts
Do timeouts work with children? Consider the following scenario. Your boss gives you a project, and you work hard on it because you want to please her. Even though you’re not satisfied with it, you present it anyway. Believing that the best way to motivate employees and change behavior is to lower the boom, she […]
Dr. Ison: How Often Do Children Need a Bath?
How often children need baths may vary by culture and time, but there are recommendations that can give the modern caregiver some guidance. A newborn’s first bath has been given in hospitals shortly after birth. However, a variety of organizations, including the World Health Organization, are now recommending delaying the first bath for a few […]
Dr. Graebe Works With MLB Players
Dr. Rick Graebe realized every devout baseball fan’s cold weather wish last month – he hopped a plane in wintry Kentucky and three hours later disembarked in sunny Arizona to enjoy spring training. Along with 10 other optometrists, Dr. Graebe visited the winter home of the Oakland A’s in Mesa, outside of Phoenix. He took […]
Positive Parenting: How to Share Sad News With Children
The goldfish went belly-up while Heidi was at school. Chipper, the parakeet, flew out the front door when you left for errands this morning. Aaron’s good friend is moving far away. A parent or grandparent is seriously ill. As much as we would like to shield our children from bad news – and wish to […]
Dr. Charles Ison: Preparing Kids for Air Travel
Airplanes are one of the safest means by which to travel. The odds for any one person of being in an airplane accident are 1 in 11 million. Plus, 96% of these unlucky passengers survive. Air travel with children takes some preparation, but it is certainly doable. Reading books and talking about the process of […]