As I sat down to write this, I didn’t realize what I was going to re-discover.  As I stared at the computer to figure out what to share about my unique experience of parenting a child with special needs I was struggling with how to begin. In the eight years 
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Touchpoints is an evidence-based theory of child development that refers to periods in a child’s life where he or she starts doing something new after an old and predictable behavior stops, i.e., a child starts to walk shortly after he or she stops sleeping through the night.  This theory is 
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Why It’s Important Unintentional suffocation is the leading cause of injury-related death among infants, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. In 2010, 1,176 children died from unintentional suffocation. In 2011, 22,791 children were treated in emergency departments for nonfatal inhalation or suffocation. Most childhood suffocation, choking, and strangulation incidents occur at 
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For many, acting defensive or aggressive is a natural response to conflict.  However, it is important that children learn effective conflict resolution skills that promote peaceful ways of solving problems between individuals.  Learning to deal with conflict in a friendly manner will help your child understand the importance of healthy 
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A child is defined as “medically fragile” when, due to abuse or neglect, illness, congenital disorder or brain injury, he/she requires medications, treatments and/or specialized care or equipment. Some conditions that may qualify a child as medically fragile are: Fetal alcohol syndrome Chronic conditions such as Cystic Fibrosis, Down syndrome 
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Mindy Schaefer, M.A., Certificate of Clinical Competency in Speech Language Pathology There are reasons why toddlers and young children can be “picky” eaters.  Often parents will say “he loved that food yesterday and now he won’t touch it.”  Why is this?  We know that in the first year of life 
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The way your child learns, plays, and acts shows you important steps in development. All children grow and develop at their own rate. However, most follow a predictable skill path along the way. These skill paths are called developmental milestones; skills that most children can perform by a certain age. 
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In working with families over the years, I’ve learned that no matter what age or stage a child is at in his/her development, praise plays a key part in promoting any child’s social-emotional growth. Kids need to know their good behavior is appreciated and that they are doing well in 
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Play is the most powerful tool parents have at their disposal for nurturing their children’s growth. It is the simplest way they can encourage almost every facet of development. With that being said, play needs to be age-appropriate and safe.  Most importantly, parents need to play too. Perhaps the most 
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Welcoming a second bundle of joy to the family means big changes for you and your young child. While parents think their child will be excited with the new addition, it’s also normal for a child to feel jealous, confused or worried. As you prepare for the baby, you can 
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