Beyond the Scar A recent newsletter discussed the considerations of pre- and post-surgical considerations which often leave a lasting imprint of pain, discomfort, and insomnia. When procedures are for a child there is more to consider. The impact of medical procedures upon a child’s development is personal — my son had 38 lumbar punctures and […]
Medical Miracles! This year I have been writing about birth characteristics and the related long-term effects we observe. Medical miracles at birth allow most babies born from 24-36 weeks to survive. For many of the families we meet, it is also the beginning of a journey of unknowns. Nine-year-old Megan, born at 27 weeks (left), […]
Transitions The single most important, yet most complex transition for any of us occurs at birth. Luckily, for most of us things went reasonably ok. For more than a third of us, there was more involved than you can imagine, even if it was planned. Over the past year, we’ve come to realize how integral […]
Baby Development and Play Play is a vital and interactive process of babies learning to excite, engage, and calm in every changing way. Play is also the foundation of communication and self-help. Play is essential for integrated sensory, motor, and cognitive development beginning with rattles and progressing to block building and books. Note from […]
Headaches with An Unusual Cause For years, 11-year-old Zoey experienced daily headaches. For as long as she could remember, Zoey’s mother said her daughter would comment about her head pain, particularly toward the end of each day. “As the day would go on, the pain would worsen,” she described. Unwilling to take any medicine to […]
Mastering the Dreaded Locker Lock! I still have my lock, the combo engraved in my brain from frustration… The fear and frustration of sweaty fingers twirling the dial of the gym locker on the bottom row of lockers, trying not to be late to class. Yes, that’s why I remember the combo. Middle schools and […]
Updates from Some 2014 Stories We are working on some amazing stories for you in 2015 and thought you’d enjoy a few updates on some of our 2014 features. Madeline and Reading “Merry Christmas,” as Madeline is singing to her new karaoke machine, “I cannot believe the words she is reading as she sings—wow!” […]
Amazing that we are halfway through the summer, yet not half way done with summer plans. Whether barbequing, biking, boating or traveling, please be careful! We find summer fun sometimes yields summer boo-boo’s. But you didn’t get seriously hurt, you say? Thank goodness! However big or small, incidents with significant impact still leave their signature […]
Baby Hannah and Visual-Motor Development Despite everything being “normal” in her development, at 8 weeks Hannah was off track with visual-motor development. An uneventful pregnancy and an easy delivery with a midwife, Hannah was a relatively happy baby who ate and slept within her parents expectations. So why did I have the opportunity to meet […]
[image url=”https://thebridginginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/200909-baby.jpg” alignment=”left” margin_left=”0″ margin_right=”10″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”10″ width=”200″ height=”150″]Often, we don’t think about how much work is involved in handwriting. However, handwriting is more than grasping an object and scribbling. Although a baby’s ability to grasp establishes a developmental foundation for the handwriting skill, the ability to write requires simultaneous movement and work from the […]