5 Signs That Your Child Could Benefit From Speech Therapy

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Learning to communicate is an important part of a child’s development but it doesn’t always come as naturally as we hope, with 5% of US children aged between 3 and 17 having been diagnosed with a speech disorder and 3.3% diagnosed as suffering from a language disorder. Although speech and language disorders are different they do also often intersect, so here are 5 things to watch out for to help you decide whether your child could benefit from some additional help in the form of speech therapy for a possible speech or language disorder. 

1. They do not gesture 

Gesturing is often one of the first forms of communication that a new baby will use. They may point to the bottle when they are thirsty or make a grasping gesture towards a toy they want. If you don’t notice your child gesturing between the ages of 7-12 months by pointing, waving or using their hands to indicate they want something then this could be a sign of a language disorder. 

2. They do not make baby babbling noises

As babies begin to find their voice, they usually begin to experiment with sounds and start to babble somewhere from age 4-7 months. Babbling often sounds like baby language and is incoherent but necessary as they begin to learn how to make sounds.  If you feel that your baby is unusually quiet and isn’t experimenting with noises from their mouths then this too could be a sign of a speech or language disorder.  

3. They have trouble ennunciating certain sounds

It’s perfectly normal for children to mispronounce certain sounds when they first begin to speak, but this usually sorts itself out by the age of 2. However, children with speech impediments often struggle with pronouncing sounds such as p, b, m, h or w for much longer and their speech may be unclear and difficult to understand. If your child is approaching 3 years old and is still struggling with pronouncing the letters of the alphabet then this too could be an indication of a speech impediment and they could benefit from speech therapy. 

4. They do not understand verbal requests

Children between the ages of 1 - 2 years should be able to understand simple spoken requests such as, “please don’t touch that” or “come here please”. If your child appears to not understand your requests and isn’t simply ignoring you, then this could also suggest a language disorder as they are struggling to understand what you are asking of them. 

5. Your child is not speaking in sentences 

Although in the early stages of your child’s speech development they will often stick to single words or short phrases such as ‘milk’ ‘hungry’ and ‘no’, by the age of 1.5 to 2 years they should be beginning to create longer more complex sentences. Such as “I want to go to the park” rather than simply saying the word “park”. An inability to put together a longer coherent sentence can also indicate a language or speech disorder which can be diagnosed and helped by a speech or language therapist.

The Three Stages Of A Child’s Oral Health

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It’s easy to forget all of the growing you did when you were a child, especially once you’ve long since halted this process. Your body changes an awful lot when you are growing up, from your body getting hairier to your bones getting larger, and all of this development has to be taken seriously. Oral health is a massive part of this, though a lot of parents struggle to make sure that their little ones enjoy the best dental health. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring the three stages that they will go through in this process, giving you the chance to tackle each one as they come.

As A Baby

Babies tend to be born without any teeth, and have to stick to a liquid diet until they have some coming in. This process isn’t without pain, though, with a lot of babies going through agony to get their new teeth in place. This is known as teething, and is something which a lot of parents struggle with, especially when it’s their first child. Giving them things to chew on can help with this, though the best comfort they can get will always come from their parents. You should work hard to give them the time they need during this process, and should be taking them to see a dentist on a regular basis.

Losing Their Teeth

It won’t take long until a child is ready to start losing the first set of teeth they grow, ready for their permanent nashers to find their place. This can start quite early for some kids, though others may still be losing some teeth as they enter their teenage years. While this doesn’t usually hurt, it’s worth making sure that your child is aware of this process, as it can be quite scary to find a loose tooth when you’re not expecting it. As their new teeth start to come in, you should be taking them to the dentist even more often than before, as this time is crucial to their development.

The Teenage Years

As they enter their teenage years, most kids will have all of their adult teeth. This means that they will have to live with any of the issues they encounter with them, and you should be working hard to keep their mouths healthy. A lot of teenagers need braces, and you should be figuring out what to expect at an Invisalign consultation long before this time comes. Products like this are far better than traditional options, as they won’t make your child look any different, and this is helpful when they are at a point in their lives when appearance will be crucial to them.

Wisdom teeth extraction is a surgical procedure done to remove one or more wisdom teeth. Most oral surgeons recommend removing wisdom teeth when the third molars have developed roots but haven’t broken through the gums. Kids go through a lot of development through their teen years.  Wisdom teeth usually start to grow between the ages of 17 and 21, and for some teens, the teeth fail to erupt through the gum and cause problems. For many teenagers, wisdom teeth removal will be the first oral surgery they will undergo and their first time dealing with post-operative curing and uneasiness.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to take on the challenge of managing your child’s oral health. A lot of parents struggle with this, finding it hard to know what they need to do when their little ones are developing. Of course, though, there are plenty of professionals out there who can help you, and it’s always worth taking their support when you can get it.

Health Insurance And Annual Limits

When taking out an international medical insurance policy there is a lot to take into consideration. Not only do you need to be sure that the policy is right for you in terms of cover and benefits, but you must be fully aware of all of the terms and conditions that are in place. One of these conditions will be an annual limit. All global health insurance plans have an annual limit in place. Read on to discover everything you need to know about this…

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What is an annual limit?

This is the maximum amount of money an insurer will agree to cover you for per year. For example, if your annual limit is $60,000 then the insurance company you use will only cover medical expenses up to this amount. Anything in excess of $60,000 you will have to fund yourself. 

Why is it important to carefully consider your annual limit?

A lot of people make the mistake of underestimating medical expenses when it comes to taking out international health insurance. However, you could easily find yourself in a situation where you are faced with a massive bill. 

Let’s say you suffer a serious injury or illness whilst on vacation or even in your current place of residency. You go to the hospital only to discover that you cannot get the treatment you require there. As a result, you have to go to a hospital in a nearby state or even a different country. In the end, you will need to pay for the care and support you received in the country you were in whilst you were taken ill, as well as the cost of an air ambulance and treatment in the location you received the necessary help. 

This could easily amount to costs in excess of $60,000 – if that was indeed your annual limit. As a result, it is pivotal to consider your annual policy limit with a great amount of care to ensure you do not need up in such a scenario. 

You also need to have a high annual limit if you have an existing health condition. Let’s say you have hearing loss. You are going to be likely to need checkups throughout the year and hearing aid devices. You need to ensure that your policy is going to cover all of this. 

All in all, your policy’s annual limit is just another factor you need to consider when you are looking for the right worldwide medical insurance policy. You should analyse your policy with a scrutinizing eye before agreeing to it. Many people rush into buying international health insurance and unfortunately it is something they live to regret when they discover they are not covered to the level they had expected. 

7 More Amazing Body Facts That Made Me Go "Wow! I Didn't Know That!" (Again!)

The human body is a masterpiece. The structure and the physiology are truly marvelous! 

A few years ago, I wrote a post about some amazing body facts which surprisingly turned out to be my most read blog post. There is so much to learn so I am sharing some interesting information about the human body's internal structure.

► What are the largest and smallest organs in the body?

The skin is the largest organ. In an average sized human, the skin has a total area of 20 square feet. The skin acts as the body's first line of defense against illness and infection. It also helps regulate our body temperature and protects our internal organs from damage due to external elements.

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The smallest organ is the pineal gland. It is about the size of a grain of rice (5 to 8 millimeters) and is located in the center of our brain. Its main function is to produce melatonin which regulates our sleep cycle.

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► What are the largest and smallest bones in the body?

The largest and strongest bone is the femur or thigh bone. Its upper end connects to the pelvis to form the hip joint while its lower end connects to the tibia and to form the knee.

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The smallest bone is the stapes, which is one of the three tiny bones found in our middle ear. It measures around 3 x 2.5 millimeters. Now that is tiny!

Human stapes bone size in comparison with a penny

► The small intestine has an absorptive surface area of 250 square meters!

The small intestine is a long, narrow tube roughly about 6 meters (20 feet) in length. It is where nutrients in the food we eat are absorbed and carried through the bloodstream. What is more amazing is that inner lining of the small intestine has an absorptive surface area of 250 square meters (2,700 square feet), roughly about the size of a tennis court!

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The inside walls of the small intestine are not flat, rather, it has circular (mucosal) folds along its entire length. These folds have villi or small projections that protrude into the lumen (cavity) of the small intestine. However, that is not yet the end of it. Every villus has multitudes of epithelial cells, each of which has microvilli. Think of surface area multiplied!

► The longest nerve cell in the body is approximately 0.91 meters (3 feet)!

A nerve cell or neuron is composed of 4 parts - the dendrites, the some (or cell body), the axon and the axon terminal. The axon is the longest part of the nerve cell. It carries nerve impulses away from the cell body. The longest nerve cell axons in the body are those of the sciatic nerve. They start from the base of the spinal cord down to the big toe of each foot. That is approximately 3 feet long in an average height human!

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► Let's talk about the red blood cells

An average person has about 20-30 trillion red blood cells circulating in their body. Did you know that a pinhead-sized drop of blood can contain as much as 5 million red blood cells! A healthy red blood cell is only 6.2 to 8.2 micrometer in size. It is difficult to imagine such a minute thing doing the task of oxygenation for the body!

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A red blood cell's lifespan is 100-120 days. New cells are formed in the bone marrow and the old cells are destroyed in the spleen. 

Here's another interesting fact about red blood cells - it only takes one minute for a red blood cell to circulate the entire human body. From exiting the heart through the aorta into the circulatory system, it only takes 60 seconds for a red blood cell to return back to the heart through the superior and anterior vena cava. Wow.

► Our brain and neurons

Acting as the command center, our brain does really amazing things. An average human brain weighs about 1400 grams (roughly 3 pounds). It receives 20% of the body's blood supply. According to credible sources, our brain contains about 100 billion neurons or nerve cells that work non-stop in receiving and sending nerve impulses.

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There are different sizes of neurons. Some are very small with short axons and dendrites, while others have very long axons (see information about the sciatic nerve above). You may be wondering about the speed at which impulses travel through these neurons, right? The speed depends on the thickness of the axon. It has been discovered that the thicker the axon, the faster the speed of travel of impulses. So we can deduce that the long nerve cells have thicker axons to enable them to convey information faster.

How fast is fast? "Slow" transmissions are about 0.5 meters per second, while "fast" transmissions reach the speed of 120 meters per second (268.43 miles per hour)! Can you imagine something going that fast inside our own bodies? Mind-boggling.

► How strong is stomach or gastric acid?

Our stomach produces three different kinds of acid that aid in the digestion of the food we eat. These acids are potassium chloride, sodium chloride, and hydrochloric acid. With a pH level of 1 to 3, these three acids can dissolve metal! Oh goodness. And to think we have that inside of us? How on earth does our stomach stay intact with that much acid in it?

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We must thank our stomach's epithelial cells which produce mucus and bicarbonate that forms a layer of protection for our stomach lining. The pancreas likewise produces bicarbonate that it secretes into the duodenum part of the stomach for further protection and avoid damage to the small intestine. Sometimes, our stomach produces too much acid that the epithelial cells are unable to cope with. This is the reason we suffer from gastric ulcers.

The human body is wonderfully made, don't you agree? From two tiny cells merging together into a single cell that divides a multitude of times comes forth a human being! There is so much to learn and appreciate about this living, loving, thinking and rational creation that we call "our body."

Feel free to read my first blog post about human body facts here.

For Fitness Buffs: Here's How You Can Earn More Outside The Gym

Understand that there are so many ways to bring in more income. Because of the advancements in technology and the internet, a lot more is accessible now. If you're thinking that you'll always have to trade your hours for dollars to be successful as a fitness trainer, think again and try these three ideas to get started. 

1. Create a fitness product. 

Customize your own fitness product, and sell it to your customers. Take a look at the equipment you use when you're working out your clients. If you use jump ropes, fitness bands, and kettlebells, you can always order your sticker and logos to print on these types of products. You can always profit from customizing a product and selling it to your clients. Make it a product that is essential to the workout so that your customers won't even hesitate to purchase it. 

2. Develop an online course. 

If you'd like to develop an online brand, you can do so with the use of an online. In this course, you can demonstrate different workout routines at various levels. You can have beginner, intermediate and advanced courses. Since it's an online product, you can always use affiliate links to send people to helpful resources. If they purchase those resources, you'll get a commission. You can recommend everything from specific workout geat to prostate health supplements . Just make sure that everything you recommend involves your own clearance and approval. 

3. Produce a fitness app. 

Fitness apps continue to dominate the app stores. Statistics suggest that fitness apps will continue to bring in billions through the year 2020. With the right app design, you'll be able to reach millions of people. If you already know how to build an app, you can take care of the technical components. If you don't know how to build an app, you can always hire a really great app developer to take care of the dirty work for you. Take a look at the fitness apps that are currently in the marketplace. Think about what you can offer in your app to make it stand out in the crowd.

The Over 50’s Guide To Health Safeguarding

Health is a vital issue no matter what our age, but as we get a little older it can help to make it even more of a priority. After all, our health is the one thing that can have the power to improve our quality of life, something that most people want to maintain as much as possible as they age. With this in mind, check out the simple guide below on the health matters that those over 50 should be looking out for as they age. 

Hearing health 

Many people believe that hearing loss is a natural part of ageing and that it is very little we can do to prevent it. However, this isn't always the case. In fact, there are plenty of things that we can do to safeguard our hearing health throughout life.  

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The first thing is to try and minimize any infections in the ear. Decrease infections by rinsing out the ear canal after bathing or water sports, as this can prevent bacteria getting logged in there. Remember as the ear canal is a warm and moist place it is the perfect environment for such bacteria to grow, and when they do so your chance of having an infection that your body can find hard to fight off increases, and can damage your ears. 

Also, it can be useful to use hearing protection in situations that are noisy such as music performances or work environments. The reason ear protection is so necessary is that is can stop damage occurring to the hair follicle in the cochlea which can result in a decline in hearing health and even hearing loss over time. 

Heart health 

The over 50s also need to be aware of the health of their heart, as any unnecessary strain on this organ can be problematic. The health of the heart is so crucial because it is a vital organ that pumps blood around our bodies, and that means we cannot do without it. After all, if it is not working at full capacity, it can cause all sorts of issues from fatigue to poor circulation, to heart attacks. 

Keeping the heart healthy for the over 50s is something that requires a three-pronged approach. The first is to have a regular checkup that looks out for problems such as atrial fibrillation that you may not be aware you have. 

In addition, eating well and keeping at a healthy weight is vital to this. Also exercising to keep the heart strong and blood pumping around the body is an essential part of maintaining heart health well into your 50’s and beyond. 

Bone health 

Another issue that many folks over the age of 50 can experience is a problem with bone density. This condition is particularly evident in women of this age because the hormonal changes brought about by menopause can speed up the loss of bone matter in the body. 

Minimize the risk of this, by maintaining a healthy diet that includes plenty of calcium as this is used to build and strengthen the skeleton. It is also vital that you cut out any other actions that mean you are a higher risk such as smoking, excessive drinking and taking some medications. Lastly getting a regular scan and taking supplements to help improve bone density can be useful in minimizing this issue in those over 50. Something you can read more about here.

Mental health 

Lastly, let us not forget that mental health issues are often prevalent amongst those that are over 50, at least as much as those under this age. After all, ageing can be tough as not only do you have to deal with physical changes in your body but also the psychological impact of major life changes such as menopause, empty nesting, retirement, and the like. 

Luckily, there are plenty of approaches that can help you keep mentally healthy no matter what life throws at you. The first step to accessing these is usually finding out what specific problem it is that you are suffering from. Many people use online diagnostic tools for this, or go and see their doctors who can then refer them to a specialist that will be able to provide coping strategies for anxiety and depression issues. 

Remember that if your mental health isn't too good, it's likely that your physical health and quality of life can suffer as well. With this in mind, it is vital that you deal with any mental health issues as promptly as you would physical ones, particularly if you want to safeguard your health well into your 50s and beyond. 

Your Car Accident Might Have Done More Damage Than You Think

Cuts and bruises

It’s pretty easy to feel you escaped your car accident with just a few scrapes, but how do you know for sure if everything inside is okay. It can be hard to identify any internal injuries straight away due to the shock of everything, but it’s always recommended to seek medical attention as soon as possible. You may not know about any concussions or brain damages caused by an impact, and the sooner you identify them; the more there is that can be done.

It’s quite common in severe crashes that the victims seek more than just medical attention to help them get past it. If you’ve been inflicted with serious injuries while going about your daily life on the road, you’re not going to be so eager to get back behind the wheel of your car. Even thinking about it is enough to make some people anxious. Seeing a psychologist might be a good idea for you if you feel you’re suffering from similar symptoms. Counselling doesn’t promise a cure, but it can help you to ease the intensity of your feelings. Not everyone will experience these mental effects, but when you do, it’s not always obvious. Without consideration, these kinds of fears can stop us in our everyday lives; many might neglect the option to go out if they feel unsafe; which is a slippery slope to becoming reclusive!

Taking action

While it won’t help with your injuries, taking legal action against those who caused your state can help to cover any costs and inconveniences that they caused. There are specialists out there for anyone, as long as the accident wasn’t your fault, you should be eligible for a claim. Investing in the services of a personal injury attorney is the best option for you if you’re unaware of how to deal with the legal actions yourself. Not only that, but you’re opening up a variety of choices for you that could make the ordeal a lot simpler. Your lawyer may help you come to better and more suitable deals for both parties, meaning that everyone is satisfied with the outcome; therefore offering a solution. 

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While health should be the primary concern, there’s the matter of costs, too. The amount you might have to pay for repair fees, or medical expenses might drag you under in your finances; and if you’re seriously injured, you’re not in a position to work. Car accidents can ruin lives, so it doesn’t hurt to try and make the best of an unfortunate situation, even if it does mean claiming against the other party. Some accidents can be lethal, and may even leave the victim disabled for the rest of their life, that’s something you just can’t give back; no matter how much money is paid. There’s nothing you can do to compensate taking such an important part of their life away, but a claim is at least something that can be used for recovering!

Surprising Causes Of Your Foot Pain

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Walking to the shops, to work, and well, anywhere really, is often deemed as one of the easiest forms of exercise. However, if you suffer from foot pain, every step is an agonizing struggle. There are lots of bones in your foot, which makes it no surprise that many people suffer from foot pain, and that there are a lot of possible reasons for it. In fact, almost 80% of women suffer from some severity of foot pain, which is a lot more than just the majority. If you’re one of the majority, here are five possible reasons that you could be suffering from foot pain:

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1. Wearing The Wrong Shoes

Often the most obvious cause for pain in your feet is what you put on them. Wearing the wrong shoes could damage your foot a great deal. If you’re a fan of pointy-toed shoes, you risk irritating a bunion, which will only get worse if you continue to wear them. Wearing heels that are too high can also cause a whole host of major problems, such as sprained ankles, stress fractures, and even neuroma. Ideally, you shouldn’t be wearing heels any higher than 3 inches for anything other than a special occasion, and should also steer clear of thin heels to avoid such problems.

2. You’ve Got An Ingrown Toenail

If you’ve recently had a pedicure or cut your nails, you might have left a small piece of nail at the corner of your toe. This piece of nail then continues to grow and can result in an incredibly painful ingrown toenail. This can also happen by stubbing your toe or wearing shoes that are too tight. Soaking your feet in warm water and Epsom salts will help to decrease any inflammation, soften the skin, and drain the affected area.

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3. You Have Another Injury

Any injuries to your back, hips, legs, or knees can cause you to walk strangely, and put more weight on one side of the body than the other. This can cause your foot to swell, develop stress fractures, and neuroma, all of which will cause you pain. Resting and icing your feet, or using anti-inflammatory medication should be able to reduce the swelling. However, if you want the problems to go away for good, you’ll need to treat the legs, hips, or back pain too.

4. Your Foot Shape

Unfortunately, just the shape of your foot can cause you issues. If you’ve inherited a high arch or a flat foot from your parents you will strain the ligaments in your ankle, which is going to cause you foot and ankle pain. Visit Shoe Finale to find the best shoes to wear if you have a flat foot. If you have a high arch, you should buy arch supports, which you can just insert into your regular shoes.

Although foot pain often isn’t too big of a deal, and can easily be fixed yourself, it can be a sign of more serious issues, like diabetes. If your pain ever gets too severe, you should always go and see your doctor, just to be on the safe side.

Wash Hands With the Right Hand Wash

Its back to school time again. Many young mothers will be sending off their little ones to Kindergarten for the first time and may feel some anxiety. During my daughter's first day in Kindergarten, I actually experienced SSA (Severe Separation Anxiety). It is a normal thing, and I am glad that both me and my daughter were able to breeze through the next few days.

Young children are very curious about their surroundings, specially in a new environment. They would pick up a curious looking stone, pet an animal or just enjoy the feeling of creating things with their hands (like mud pies and mud sculptures). 

It is in this stage that we must teach our kids the importance of hand washing. It is indeed a challenge to train kids to do a certain routine task, specially the young ones who have just gained "some sort of independence." I would say that the best way to teach kids to make hand-washing a habit is to set an example. In other words, we should "walk the talk." We can start a fun activity at home like washing hands together while singing the new song they learned in school. Educating our kids that hand washing keeps us healthy, and being healthy means having to spend more days with their friends at school. No kid wants to be left out because he/she is sick and has to stay home.

The human skin is host to numerous normal, beneficial germs/bacteria. Let me repeat that - normal and beneficial. They are usually called "the good bacteria" that helps in wound healing and prevents the growth and spread of harmful germs. It is in this light that we, as parent have to be careful in choosing a good soap to use for hand washing. The best choice would be something that is formulated to get rid of the harmful germs and yet gentle enough to maintain the skin's natural composition. A hand soap and sanitizer made from organic materials what we need.

Meet CleanWell and Say Goodbye to Germs Naturally. CleanWell is offering an innovative product that does not use harsh chemicals to kill germs. They have tapped the antiseptic property of Thyme, which has been used for the same purpose for thousands of years in the ancient civilizations. 

Now that we have found the best product to use, we must teach our child the proper way to wash hands. Using CleanWell Liquid Hand Soaps, demonstrate to your child to rub their palms together, the area in between their fingers, the back of their hands and their fingernails. 1-2 minute washing is recommended, so singing a nursery song would be a good activity to go along with the handwashing activity.

Teaching our child that keeping our hand clean does not end at home. They should also practice this at school, during and after playtime or other activities.The CleanWell hand sanitizer is alcohol and triclosan free, kid-safe and doesn't sting. They come in a handy flip cap 1 oz. spray bottle that is easy to take anywhere. One 1 oz. spray bottle dispenses up to 200 spritz and is available in refreshing Orange Vanilla and Original (Citrus Herb) scents. Place a bottle in your child's schoolbag and rest assured that your child will stay healthy. Make them remember the phrase: CleanWell Hand Sanitzer - A Better Way to Clean Hands. Educate them to use it before meals and after play. Health is wealth!

I am a mom to three young adults and I have made it a point to provide my children this extra protection they need.

I am encouraging my readers to do the same. For a limited time, (August 22-29, 2014 only) you can avail of a special 10% discount! Click on the link below and save 10% or click on any CleanWell banner above.

Fight Germs in the Classroom: Save 10% on Hand Sanitizers, code HANDAA.

Wash and sanitize. CleanWell and be well.