Ages & Stages

If you are having difficulty understanding your child, you might want to consider a speech-language evaluation, which is a normal step to pursue when parents or caregivers suspect difficulty with communication. Ask your pediatrician for a referral to a speech-language pathologist, a professional who diagnoses speech and language difficulties. ...

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Sensory integration, or the way in which the mind communicates with the senses, begins developing before birth and shapes the way a person interacts with the environment. Parents can help their kids’ neurological growth, as well as appeal to their sensory inclinations, by exposing them to summer sensory activities. ...

Parents are always instructed to keep their child's screen time to a minimum. Now, experts are recommending screen time limits for parents, too, as the amount of time that caregivers spend on their electronic devices directly impacts the quality and quantity of interaction with their children. ...

After a healthy pregnancy and birth, Christie and Josh Hersman welcomed Ava, an energetic baby girl with big blue eyes. When a newborn hearing screening indicated Ava might need further testing, the Hersmans took her to get an auditory brain response test, which confirmed Ava had moderate to severe hearing loss. Learn what resources the family used as part of Ava's early intervention program. ...

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Another baby on the way is a happy time for parents — kids, however, might have mixed feelings. Here are some ways to share the news and help your children prepare for a new sibling.  ...

It’s typical for kids to be afraid of the dark, feel especially shy or fearful around new people, or tell their parents they cannot fall asleep because monsters are under the bed. How can you address common childhood fears without exacerbating the problem? Also, when should a parent be concerned that a common fear has become a phobia? ...

Find out how to choose books that make toddlers feel included and competent, as well as engaged at an appropriate level. Also, learn five areas of early reading and how they build upon one another as children learn to read. ...

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