Trisomy is the presence of an additional, or third, chromosome in a human cell that typically has just two chromosomes. This extra chromosome can cause many types of developmental disabilities.
During Trisomy Awareness Month in March, many national family advocacy organizations try to raise awareness about the cause, evaluation and treatment of these genetic disorders, especially trisomy 21, trisomy 18 and trisomy 13. (more…)
At Mount Sinai Beth Israel, we place every healthy, full-term baby skin to skin (baby naked, not wrapped in a blanket) with his or her mother immediately after birth. The skin-to-skin contact warms the baby and stimulates the release of oxytocin and prolactin—the hormones responsible for milk production—in the mother.
The more skin-to-skin contact a mother has with her baby, the more stable (heart rate, breathing, body temperature, blood pressure) baby is, and the more breast milk mother makes. Babies who are held skin to skin cry very infrequently, and so do not lose body heat. Babies held skin to skin also have stable blood sugar levels, preventing the need for supplemental milk. (more…)
Guest post by Yana Bekker, 4th-year medical student at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Ulrick Vieux, DO, MS
Summer vacation is over and it is the start of a new school year! Here are some pointers to help your child have a successful academic year.
By Ulrick Vieux, DO, MS and Roopa Mathews, MS-IV
While learning may be the last thing on children’s minds during summer vacation, it is important for youngsters to reinforce what they’ve learned throughout the year, and to keep their skills in practice for the year to come. In these last few weeks before school resumes, there is still time to get the most out of summer vacation from an educational perspective. (more…)
Guest post by Abigail Strubel, MA, LCSW
One of the most revered medical works of the Middle Ages was the Regimen sanitatis Salernitanum, or “Salernitan Guide to Health.” Written in verse, it addresses proper hygiene, diet and sleep practices, along with several outdated treatments such as bloodletting. While much of the text has been discredited, one verse in particular stands out:
“Use three physicians still; first Doctor Quiet, Next Doctor Merry-man and Doctor Diet.”
In other words, rest and appropriate nutrition are important to healing—and so is laughter. (more…)
Animal Assisted Psychotherapy (AAP) consists of mental health professionals who utilize therapy animals (i.e. typically dogs, cats, horses, and birds) to assist in the therapeutic process. The use of the therapy pet, such as my dog Barney shown in this video, has been found to strengthen rapport between therapist and patient, build empathy, increase self confidence. (more…)