February 2024 – Kids’ Health

Parenting is an incredible journey filled with rewarding moments and challenges alike. For parents navigating raising children, it’s essential to embrace flexibility, patience and open communication. Through a blend of guidance, both from personal experience and licensed experts in the local area, parents can help their kids develop good habits that keep them happy and healthy long after they grow up.

Choosing a chiropractor for kids’ health involves prioritizing their overall well-being and development. Pediatric chiropractors specialize in addressing musculoskeletal issues in children, promoting proper alignment and mobility. Through gentle and age-appropriate adjustments, these professionals aim to enhance nervous system function, support immune health and contribute to optimal growth.

Parents seeking chiropractic care for their children often appreciate the non-invasive nature of the treatments, which focus on fostering a healthy foundation for physical development and addressing issues such as posture, balance and coordination. Regular visits to a pediatric chiropractor can play a role in proactive healthcare for children, ensuring that they thrive in a balanced and aligned manner.

Dr. Kimberly Hoffa of Healing Hands Chiropractic (facebook.com/healinghandschiropractic68504) is widely recognized for her expertise in this area. As the driving force behind this family-oriented practice, she takes pride in providing exceptional chiropractic care within a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. Dr. Kim has earned the respect and admiration of patients, fellow chiropractors and other medical professionals across the Lincoln area.

Physical health is one component of kids’ health, and making sure your kids are developing emotionally and mentally is another extremely important facet. Balancing physical health with emotional and mental development is key to fostering a healthy and thriving child.

Therapy plays a crucial role in children’s mental health. Therapists employ various age-appropriate techniques, such as play therapy or art therapy, tailored to the child’s developmental stage, encouraging self-expression and emotional regulation. Beyond aiding individual emotional growth, therapy equips children with valuable tools to help navigate life. Additionally, it provides an avenue for addressing any underlying issues, traumas or behavioral patterns that might otherwise impede a child’s well-being, offering avenues for healing, growth and a stronger emotional foundation for their future.

According to Sarah Worley, CEO of Daring Minds Therapy (daringmindstherapy.info), “One of the most important things to keeping kids healthy and active is to manage their feelings and emotions effectively. The advice I have to offer is to truly listen to how your child feels and validate their emotions.”

Daring Minds Therapy’s approach aligns with fostering emotional intelligence in children, empowering them to comprehend and manage their emotions effectively. By validating their feelings, caregivers foster a sense of emotional security and trust, enabling children to communicate their emotions more openly and in healthier forms of expression.

As children learn to articulate and manage their emotions effectively, they are better equipped to form meaningful relationships, communicate their needs and handle conflicts in a constructive manner. This approach not only supports their emotional growth, but also contributes significantly to their mental resilience and adaptability in various social situations that arise in elementary, middle and high school as well as in life long after they mature.

Additionally, communication development is extremely important in children. Children reach speech and language milestones at different times – some start talking early, while others take more time, which might suggest a concern. Understanding typical milestones helps parents recognize potential issues early on and seek the right support if needed.

To help young children develop good communication, Communication Works (speechtherapylincolnne.com) suggests:

• Saying sounds the right way to provide good speech models.
• Paying attention when your child talks. Get your child’s attention before you talk and pause after speaking to give your child a chance to respond.
• Using everyday tasks to expand your child’s vocabulary. Say a new word, tell them what it means and use it in a way that helps them understand.
• Talking about where things are, using words like ‘first,’ ‘middle,’ ‘last,’ ‘right’ and ‘left.’
• Helping your child follow two- and three-step directions, using words like, “Go to your room and bring me your book.”
• Watching movies together and talking about what you are watching. Have them guess what might happen next. Talk about the characters. Ask them to tell you what happened in the movie.
• Having your child play with other children to develop social skills.
• Reading to your child every day, even when they are in elementary school!

In addition to early language development, Communication Works offers OT and PT, as well as assessment and therapy for dyslexia, orofacial myofunctional disorders and stuttering challenges.

Toni B. Morehouse, Speech-Language Pathologist and Owner of Communication Works said, “We have been part of the Lincoln small business community for nearly 10 years, offering caring, professional, expert assessment and therapy, and positively changing lives one client at a time.”

Getting help early is better than waiting. Contact your doctor, your local school or a private clinic like Communication Works to get information about early intervention services. Why wait and see when you can just see?

While some aspects of mental and physical health can be addressed before a serious situation arises, some things in life come without warning – whether you are prepared or not. To keep your kids safe in the one-in-a-million situations, consider partnering with Pulse Finders Training Center (pulsefinders.com).

At Pulse Finders Training Center, a commitment to children’s health underscores every aspect of their comprehensive approach. Their programs encompass a holistic viewpoint, emphasizing both preventive measures and preparedness in managing potential health-related emergencies.

Recognizing the pivotal role of education in shaping healthy habits, Pulse Finders Training Center offers specialized training programs. These initiatives focus on educating parents and caregivers about nutrition, physical activity and sleep requirements tailored specifically to children’s needs. Their comprehensive resources and guidance aim to instill healthy lifestyle habits and advocate for practices essential to children’s health and development.

Pulse Finders Training Center takes pride in offering specialized first aid and CPR courses designed explicitly for handling pediatric emergencies. These courses equip parents, caregivers and educators with critical skills and knowledge to respond effectively in critical situations involving children. Certified instructors prioritize teaching participants how to recognize and manage common childhood injuries, perform age-appropriate CPR and understand the importance of seeking immediate medical attention.

Championing open communication channels between parents, caregivers and children regarding health matters, Pulse Finders Training Center emphasizes the significance of discussing health concerns openly. Their programs encourage children to voice discomfort or symptoms while promoting essential hygiene practices. Empowering both adults and children with knowledge and confidence in handling health-related situations remains the primary focus of their mission.

Partnering with Pulse Finders Training Center grants families access to expert guidance, resources and certified training, enabling them to create environments conducive to nurturing children’s health and safety effectively, while also equipping them to handle a medical emergency.

Starting the adventure of parenthood is a big decision, and it comes with both great moments and challenges. As parents navigate the journey of raising kids, it is important to be flexible, patient and keep open communication. Parents can find guidance from personal experiences and advice from local experts. Sharing wisdom plays a crucial role as parents assist their children in forming good habits that will last a lifetime.