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Parents have an important job. Raising kids is both rewarding and challenging. You’re likely to get a lot of advice along the way, from doctors, family, friends, and even strangers. But every parent and child is unique. Being sensitive and responsive to your kids can help you build positive, healthy relationships together. “Being a sensitive parent and responding to your kids cuts across all…, Building Bonds, Strong emotional bonds help children learn how to manage their own feelings and behaviors and develop self-confidence. They help create a safe base from which they can explore, learn, and relate to others. Experts call this type of strong connection between children and their caregivers “secure attachment.” Securely attached children are more likely to be able to cope with challenges like poverty…, Being Available, Modern life is full of things that can influence your ability to be sensitive and responsive to your child. These include competing priorities, extra work, lack of sleep, and things like mobile devices. Some experts are concerned about the effects that distracted parenting may have on emotional bonding and children’s language development, social interaction, and safety. If parents are…, Meeting Needs, As children grow up, it’s important to remember that giving them what they need doesn’t mean giving them everything they want. “These two things are very different,” Crnic explains. “Really hone in on exactly what’s going on with your kid in the moment. This is an incredibly important parenting skill and it’s linked to so many great outcomes for kids.” Think about where a child is in life and…

People deal with difficult feelings in all sorts of ways. They may talk with friends, go work out, or listen to music. But some people may feel an urge to hurt themselves when distressed. Harming or thinking about harming yourself doesn’t mean you have a mental disorder. But it is an unhealthy way to cope with strong feelings. Finding new ways to cope can help you get through difficult times.…

NIH researchers have been developing a robotic device to help improve the way children with cerebral palsy walk. Cerebral palsy is a brain disorder that affects muscle movement. Children with cerebral palsy have trouble walking, balancing, and standing up straight. One of the most common signs of cerebral palsy is crouch gait, an excessive bending of the knees while walking. Leg braces, muscle…

Losing someone you love can change your world. You miss the person who has died and want them back. You may feel sad, alone, or even angry. You might have trouble concentrating or sleeping. If you were a busy caregiver, you might feel lost when you’re suddenly faced with lots of unscheduled time. These feelings are normal. There’s no right or wrong way to mourn. Scientists have been studying how…, Adapting to Loss , Experts say you should let yourself grieve in your own way and time. People have unique ways of expressing emotions. For example, some might express their feelings by doing things rather than talking about them. They may feel better going on a walk or swimming, or by doing something creative like writing or painting. For others, it may be more helpful to talk with family and friends about the…, Types of Grief , About 10% of bereaved people experience complicated grief, a condition that makes it harder for some people to adapt to the loss of a loved one. People with this prolonged, intense grief tend to get caught up in certain kinds of thinking, says Shear, who studies complicated grief. They may think the death did not have to happen or happen in the way that it did. They also might judge their grief—…, Life Beyond Loss , NIH-funded scientists continue to study different aspects of the grieving process. They hope their findings will suggest new ways to help people cope with the loss of a loved one. Although the death of a loved one can feel overwhelming, many people make it through the grieving process with the support of family and friends. Take care of yourself, accept offers of help from those around you, and…

A tumor in the brain isn’t like tumors in other parts of your body. It has limited room for growth because of the skull. This means that a growing tumor can squeeze vital parts of the brain and lead to serious health problems. Learning about the possible symptoms of brain tumors can help you know when to tell a doctor about them. A tumor is an abnormal mass of cells. When most normal cells grow…

How do you feel after you eat? Satisfied? Too full? Or maybe even guilty? Being too focused on food can sometimes turn into an eating disorder. People with eating disorders have severe, persistent, and unhealthy thoughts and behaviors about food. As a result, they might eat way too little or way too much. Eating disorders are not a lifestyle choice. They are serious illnesses. They affect your…

Many people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) don’t realize they have it. COPD is a serious lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. Shortness of breath, a constant cough, and wheezing can all be symptoms. COPD is very common. It’s a leading cause of death in the United States. There’s a simple breathing test, called spirometry, for COPD. It’s fast and painless. You take a deep…

Your body takes care of countless tasks for you. You might not notice all it’s doing to keep you healthy until something goes wrong. Diabetes is a serious disease that happens when your body has trouble managing and using blood glucose, a sugar that your body uses as fuel. When you have diabetes, you must actively take on this process yourself. New technologies are being tested to make it easier…, Types of Diabetes, How people with diabetes manage their blood glucose levels depends, in part, on the type of diabetes they have. The most common are type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. With type 1 diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough of a [qtip:hormone|A substance produced in one part of the body to signal another part to react a certain way.] called insulin. Insulin signals the body’s cells to let…, Blood Glucose Control, Many people with diabetes check their blood glucose with a blood glucose meter. This portable machine measures how much glucose is in the blood. You get a drop of blood by pricking the side of your fingertip with a small, specialized needle. Then you apply the blood to a test strip. The meter shows you how much glucose is in your blood at that moment. People with type 1 diabetes, and some people…, Help From Technology, NIH funded-scientists are testing promising technologies to help people better manage diabetes. For example, “artificial pancreas” systems monitor blood glucose levels and provide insulin, or a combination of insulin and another important hormone, automatically. The devices vary in how easy they are to set up and use. “Our device, called the iLet, is designed to minimize the guesswork and time…

Usually, the wall of the abdomen is strong. The muscles keep your intestine in place. But if there’s a weak spot, the intestine can push through and form a hernia. A person may be born with a weakness there, or the weakness may develop over time later in life. “It’s like when you look at an old tire on a car and you see kind of a bulge on the sidewall of the tire. That’s because there’s a…

Get to know your family better this holiday season by talking about health. Do any health conditions seem to run in your family? For example, have many people in your family had diabetes, cancer, a heart attack, or anything else? Now is the time to find out. Ask about the health history of your grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and the rest. You can share this information with your health…