- Your New Baby, Blogging, and Modern Motherhood

For the mother of a new baby, blogging is likely to be
the last thing on her mind. Taking care of an infant is an
almost incredible amount of work, and between
changing diapers and putting the final touches on the
nursery, it seems unrealistic to imagine that there would
be time left over for any mother to blog. However, a
growing number of new moms are joining the
blogosphere to share their experiences during this
exciting time of life. There is a whole range of benefits
that new mothers can reap from blogging, and the
spectrum covers everything from getting through the
night to helping distant relatives feel closer.

Among the reasons why, for a mom dealing with the
hassles and triumphs of a baby, blogging is a great idea,
is that having a blog about motherhood is a great way to
blow off some steam. Babies often have very erratic
sleep patterns that leave parents up at odd hours of the
night, and sometimes the best way to fill those hours is
on the internet. Many new moms turn to television to
help them weather these dawn vigils, but by blogging
through the night moms can turn what feels like a
somewhat depressing situation into an actively positive
and productive one.

Another reason why new moms often find blogging
very satisfying is that it helps them to be a part of a
community. For moms who are not able to successfully
juggle a full social life with the very tough demands of
taking care of a new baby, blogging can be a great way
to stave off the isolation that sometimes comes with this
stage of life. A baby requires constant attention, and it
can be difficult to attend social gatherings or events
when you are responsible for an infant. Luckily, the
blogosphere is full of other moms in the same situation,
and by chatting with them it is possible to overcome
some of the loneliness that many new mothers are
surprised to encounter.

Of course, for a mom with an adorable new baby,
blogging can be as much about celebration as it is about
necessity. Having a blog about living with a new child
can give mothers the chance to reflect on how powerful
and warm the sensation of motherhood is, and
sometimes sharing the triumphs of this unique time can
make them even sweeter. A blog is a great way to keep
friends and family updated with news about your baby's
first words or first steps, and with new technology it is
easier than ever to make photos and video clips a part of
your blog, so you can give far-away relatives the chance
to feel much more involved in your child's life.

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- Choosing A Family Practice Facility

Preparation and planning aren't just for the boy scouts. Anyone who is reaching for success in a business will do well to plan and prepare. This can be especially important for the opening of a family practice.



Who's Doing the Choosing?

If the family practice is a new one featuring only one physician, it's pretty obvious who will be making the decision on where to locate the practice. If, however, the family practice is a large, complex one, the answer might not be so clear cut.

If multiple physicians will be part of the family practice, it's important to determine if each and every physician will be part of the process in finding and choosing a location. If multiple office managers will be part of the practice, members must decide if any or all of the managers will be involved in the hunt.

Some professionals suggest that the final decision be left up to a small representative segment of the family practice. Many suggest that staff members from all areas of the family practice be included in the decision making. The first decision in choosing a family practice location is deciding who will do the choosing.

What to Seek in a Family Practice Facility

Once the decision has been made regarding who will be doing the choosing, it's time to clearly define as much as possible what is expected of the facility. Consider patient base. If the family practice is geared toward treating retirees and older adults, a facility located near housing for younger families with children shouldn't be given much consideration unless there's no other facilities available.

It's also important to consider distance and location regarding hospitals and other medical services. If physicians in the family practice will be using the hospital facilities often or will be referring patients to the hospital on a frequent basis, locating the facility near the hospital and other medical services could save time.
Competition is a consideration in any business, even family practice. Are competitors located near the potential facility? Can the family practice offer something the competition does not? What reasons can the family practice give patients to choose the practice over the competition?

A little reputation goes a long way. When looking at potential family practice facilities, it's important to consider the reputation of neighboring businesses, especially if those businesses are medical facilities. Choose a facility near respected physicians with good reputations so that if the family practice is judged on the merits of the surrounding businesses, those merits are good.

Type of Family Practice Facility

Is the family practice location committee determined to find a professional building or can the practice be set up in whatever facilities are available, even if that means setting up business in a strip mall or remodeling a home?
Is the goal building or renting facilities for the family practice? If looking to build, the criteria are different than those for renting or leasing. Parking is an issue no matter where or how the family practice is located. Make sure there's plenty of parking in an area that's easy to enter and easy to exit. Handicap access is another issue that cannot be overlooked.

Searching for a Family Practice Facility

Once it's been determined what type and what size facility is needed, it's time to begin the hunt. Narrow down search areas as much as possible. Ruling out areas that are not adequate will help narrow the list. Choosing a family practice facility can be exhausting. It can also be rewarding. It doesn't have to be more difficult than necessary. Preparation and planning will go a long way in making the search a successful one.

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- Cash Only Family Practice Pros and Cons

In a world where plastic reigns, the idea of a cash only Family Practice sounds almost antiquated. The truth is that more physicians and health care providers are taking a serious look at the cash only business model.
Cash Payment Methods


The phrase "cash only" means that all services are paid for at the time of treatment. The Family Practice adopting this payment method usually accepts payments of cash, debit card, check or credit card. Why are some Family Practices giving serious thought to cancelling health care contracts and adopting cash policies?

With the cash only method, the Family Practice does not file insurance claims or other such paperwork. Avoiding insurance paperwork, filing, and billing means there is no need to pay a staff member to process insurance claims and forms. There's no need to invest in software to track collections and insurance claims. Overhead is greatly reduced.
Potential Problems with Cash Only

Some health care plans prohibit physicians from serving members of the health plan if that physician has recently terminated the contract between the insurance company and the physician.

State insurance regulations must be taken into consideration. Medicaid rules regarding the cash only Family Practice should be carefully reviewed. Most Family Practice physicians who choose to go "cash only" opt out of Medicare. Doing so involves completing several steps of Medicare rules and regulations.

Questions to Consider with Cash Only

Family Practice physicians and health care providers considering the cash only basis should first decide if doing so would put the practice at severe financial risk or even end it. If the practice is operating in an area with large numbers of patients who are uninsured, the cash only system may work quite well.

How do current patients feel about the switch to a cash only method? If too many of the current patients are not willing to stay with the Family Practice, more thought and consideration should be given to the idea.

Consider services and fees. What services will the Family Practice offer? What will be charged for each service? It's also important to take the hospital into consideration. Will patients in the hospital be seen by the Family Practice physician(s) or will in-hospital care be managed by the referred medical professional?

Meeting Financial Responsibilities and Setting Up Fees

How will switching to a cash only basis affect the Family Practice bottom line? How hard will it be to pay bills and maintain cash flow during the transition? Calculate all overhead and expenses. How many patients will the Family Practice need to see in order to cover current overhead?

How much money will be saved by switching to the cash only method? How much time and staff expense can be cut by making the change? It isn't unusual for a Family Practice to make the switch to cash only to find more patients can be seen, quality of patient care does not suffer, and the bottom line improves.

The cash only management method of Family Practice is worth considering. It isn't for every practice but when it does work, it tends to work very well.

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- Building a Patient Base in Family Practice

The whole point of a family practice is treating patients. Once the clinic is set up, staffed and all the necessary systems in place, it's time to cultivate a client base.

Referrals
The first step in getting referrals from other physicians is in letting those physicians know you are available. If you've applied for and been approved for hospital privileges, attend meetings and get to know other physicians. Make an effort to meet local surgeons and other professionals. Social workers, dentists, nurses, daycare owners, chiropractors, and pharmacists come into contact with large numbers of people.

Advertising
Run announcements in local newspapers and on radio. Consider using a professional mailing service to send out announcements. A professional mailing service will have targeted mailing lists making it possible to send the announcements to those people most likely to seek treatment at the family practice.

Some physicians swear by postcards. The postcards announcing the family practice are sent to both medical professionals and individuals. It costs less to send a postcard than it does a letter and people are usually more likely to read the postcard. The hospital marketing department may have a service in place for announcing new physicians in the area.
Ads aren't the only way to get the family practice noticed in the newspaper. Health information articles, notices of special prices for certain services, and frequently asked question columns in newspapers are good ways to advertise.
Create brochures advertising the family practice and give them to local Chamber of Commerce and Welcoming Services. The brochure should state general information including where the family practice is located, what services are provided. The physician's photo and personal information, including credentials, should also be in the brochure. It's generally recommended that staff photos not be included.

Website
Internet websites aren't considered productive advertising methods. They are a necessity, however. The Internet is becoming a household tool and people hearing about the family practice are likely to check it out online.
Do make sure the family practice has an Internet presence featuring a website that reflects the tone and general target audience of the practice. This is a good place to feature staff photos and information. It's much easier to update a web page if staffing changes than it is to change brochures and print information.

Newsletter
A family practice newsletter can be a good way to build and maintain the patient base. With the popularity, ease and low cost of email newsletters, the newsletter has become a cost effective means of family practice advertising. Some family practice newsletters are available in both print and electronic editions. Easy to use software makes it possible for clinics to do their own newsletters in house and save money.

When considering a family practice newsletter, it's important to decide how often the newsletter will be published and in what forms. The minimum frequency is four times a year. Monthly newsletters require more dedication as well as time. Delivery will have to be decided, whether print, electronic or both.

One advanced marketing method using the electronic newsletter is to create a series of health information emails. Put a signup box on the website and in the newsletter, giving readers the option of subscribing. By using an autoresponder, the health information emails can be delivered over a dedicated period of time. The more people hear or read the information, the more they remember the family practice. Even if they don't need healthcare, they may be asked by a friend or neighbor to recommend a health care facility.

Getting patients to a new family practice is all about getting the word out. Attend medical meetings, organizational meetings and community gatherings. Let pharmacists, social workers and others know the family practice is open and accepting new patients. Get in touch with surgeons and others who refer patients. Advertise online and in the community. When patients do arrive, let them know that you appreciate the opportunity to help them manage health issues.

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- CRYING BABY - REASONS.

Introduction:

Crying is a normal event in the lives of all babies.When a baby comes out of the woomb the first thing to do is crying.By the first cry he will take some air in to the lungs for the first time in their life.After delivery if the baby doesnot cry then it should be initiated by slightly pinching or gently strocking the feet.From this it is clear that the healthy baby should cry and it is a normal physiological event ,still some times it can upset the mother or family members.


We all know that a baby can't tell his needs or troubles in words. The only way for him to communicate with others is by crying.Babies show some other signs like feet kicking,hand waving and head turning ect.But the best way to take the attention of others is by crying.

Excessive crying may not have a firm definition because the crying habit changes from baby to baby and some babies can be calmed easily but some are difficult to sooth.If crying is distressing for the mother and home nurse it can be called excessive.Many a times baby become quiet by giving breast milk or by carrying with a gentle rocking.Sudden onset of excessive crying means baby is distressed and needs attention.The causes of crying extends from simple reasons to life threatening conditions.Hence crying of a baby should not be ignored.


Most of the time it is difficult to find the cause of the cry .Common causes are discussed here for awareness.

Common reasons for crying:

1,Hunger:--

A hungry baby will cry till he gets the milk. Here the old saying comes true'crying baby gets the milk'.

2,Wetting:--

Urination and defecation causes some discomfort and results in crying till his parts are cleaned and made dry .

3,Company:--

Majority of the kids need somebody near. If they feel lonely they cry.When their favourite doll slips away from the grip they cry for help.

4,Tired:--

When the baby is tired after a journey and unable to sleep just cry simply.They feel tired in uncomfortable sourroundings and due to unhealthy climate.

5,Heat & cold:--

If they feel too hot or too cold they become restless and cry. Child is comfortable in a room with good ventilation.

6,Tight cloathing:--

Tight cloaths especially during warm climate is intolerable for kids.Tight elastic of the the dress can also produce soreness in the hip region.

7,Dark room:--

When the baby wakes up from sleep he needs some dim light.If there is darkness he will disturb the sleep of parents by crying.Ofcourse he will be irritated by strong light resulting in cry.

8,Mosquito:--

Yes,these creatures disturb the sleep by their blood sucking and make the baby to cry.

9,Nasal blocking:--

Child may not be able to sleep when there is a cold and go on crying till the passage is open.

10, Phlegm in throat:--

This also causes difficult breathing resulting in cry.Often a typical sound can be heard with each breath.

11,General aching:--

Generalised body ache with restlessness is seen in flu and prodromal stages of some infectious diseases can result in continuous cry.

12,Habitual cry:---Some babies cry without any real cause ending the parents in agony.Many a times doctor is called for help.

13,Nappy rash:-- If a tight and wet nappy is kept for a long time results in this conditon.
Rash can also be due to some allergic reaction to the elastic material of the nappy. When the rash appears it causes soreness and baby become sleepless and cry. All other skin lesions like eczema,ecthyma ,candidiasis ect also causes same problems.

14,Earache:--

Ear infection is common in wet climate.The infection may spread from the throat.Ear infection can result in rupture of ear drum causing discharge of pus.Eareache usually becomes worse at night when lying down.Child will become restless with cry and may not allow you to touch the ear.Some children with earache rub the affected ear frequently.

15,Colic:--

When the baby cry continuously most of us diagnose it as colic.This roblem is still a topic for debate because exact cause for colic is not known and diagnosis is also difficult to confirm.Colic may be associated with rumbling and distention of abdomen.Child often feels better when lying on abdomen.Some children may not allow you to touch the abdomen.If the child cries continuously doctors help is needed.

16,Infections:--

All infections causes some kind of pain or irritation resulting in cry.Infection may be anywhere in the body.Usually it is associated with fever, redness and swelling.

17,Reactions to certain food:--

It is said that one man's food is another man's poison. Some food articles can produce some allergic reactions.Allergy is manifested in the form of redness, breathlessness,gastric symptons and continuous cry.

18,Hard stools:--

Constipated babies with hard stools may cry when they get the urge for stool.Some children hesitate to pass stool because of pain .

19,Gastro esophagial reflex:--

Here baby cries with spilling of food after feeding.If this continues it may be due to gastroesophageal reflex.This is due to failure of the lower part of esophagus to close after food causing regurgitation from the stomach.It is difficult to diagnose this condition and can be confirmed by giving antireflex medicines.

20, Dentition:--

During dentition child becomes restless with crying.Often associated with gastric troubles and diarrhoea.

Some rare reasons
-----------------

1,Bowel obstruction:--

Bowel obstruction is associated with severe pain and vomiting.Abdomen is distended with rumbling sound.Baby is constipated with absence of flatus.

2,Septicemia:--

Invasion of pathogenic micro organisms in to the blood is called septicemia.Fever is associated with this condition.

3,Torsion of testes in male kids:--

When a male baby cries continuously his scrotum should be examined.Torsion of the testes produce severe pain which will be worse by touching the affected testes.When the testes is pressed upwards pain is releived.If this is not treated properly it can damage the affected testes due to lack of blood supply.

4,Meningitis:--

Initially there may not be fever,hence crying baby with alternate vacant stare and irritability should not be ignored.Fontanel is bulging. Neck rigidity and seizures may appear later.


5,Retention of urine:--

Children with retention of urine will have agonising pain making them restless.

7,Major injuries:--

Major injury to any parts of the body causes pain.Occasionally children will fall while arrying and results in head injury.Head injury is associated with reflex vomiting and convulsions.

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- Learning Problems in Children

by: Dev Sri
Children can experience learning problems because of several reasons. Some children excel at studies while others strive hard. In this article, we discuss the different behavioural and learning problems that students aged 5-15 face....


Dyslexia

Dyslexia is reading problem. The children find it difficult to read what they have written. Dyslexia is characterised by the difficulty of brain in separating and processing written and verbal language. These children find it difficult to learn spelling and to read fluently. They also confuse between similar looking letters like b, d, p, q, etc. They also tend to skip letters, words or sentences while reading.

Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is the difficulty to write. Students with this problem may be smart at reading and memorizing. Such students also show signs of diminished motor coordination and find the tasks like tying a shoelace.

Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is problems associated with numbers. They interchange the places of digits. This problem makes it difficult for the children to learn mathematics.

Dysnomia

Dysnomia is characterised by lack of ability in memorizing names or words. Pupils with this problem find it difficult to remember the word for objects, places or things.

Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia is characterised by lack of or poorly developed skills in skilled tasks like typing, sewing, etc. Such children can also show signs of difficulty in controlling sound and speaking and can be slow at eating or drinking.

Children with these type of disorders may be smart at one or more special skills. For example, Ernest Hemingway is believed to have suffered from Dyspraxia.

Helping the children and instilling in them a sense of confidence is essential for the development of such children and to help them lead successful live

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