News You Need To Know

Common among children ages 10 and younger, hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection that causes painful, red blisters aforementioned areas. The disease can be caused by a number of different viruses, most frequently the Coxsackie virus. Q: What are the symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease? A: A fever and sore throat are common early symptoms of the disease. Some children also experience a reduced appetite and runny nose. In the days following the early symptoms, a small blister like rash will develop inside the mouth, on the palms and soles of the child’s feet. In some cases, sor......

Happy fall, y'all! Pumpkins are everywhere, Halloween costumes are lining the store shelves and the beautiful fall weather is finally upon us. Make the most of the season and create your own fall bucket list. We have a few suggestions to help you enjoy the beauty of nature and time with your family. Go Apple Picking Local orchards like Fairmount Orchard on Signal Mountain or Apple Valley Orchards in Cleveland are a great weekend spot. Enjoy picking apples and other fresh baked treats. Not only are apples delicious, they also make a healthy snack. Take a Hike The cooler fall weather and vibrant......

Though you are often able to gage a fever by feeling your child’s forehead or hands, a thermometer provides the most accurate temperature reading. There are several different methods for taking your child’s temperature, depending on age and preferences. Choosing the Best Thermometer: Birth to 3 Years: Digital thermometers inserted in the rectum provide the most accurate temperature reading in infants. 3 Months to 4 Years: In children ages 3 months to 4 years School Aged Children: Oral readings are the best method for taking a child’s temperature. This method provides a more accurate temperatur......

Summer vacations are coming to a close and the start of school is rapidly approaching. In addition to new school supplies, there are several things you can do to ease the back to school transition. Adjust Bedtime and Wakeup Routines Two weeks before school starts, start gradually making bedtime and wakeup times earlier until you are back on the normal school schedule. Just like adults, children who do not get enough sleep are crankier and cannot focus as well during the school day. Placing your children back on a normal sleep schedule helps making the transition back to school much easier. Mee......

On August 21st, there will be a total solar eclipse over most of Tennessee. Many area schools have closed in preparation for this seemingly once in a lifetime event. Areas north of the city can expect between 1 minute and almost 3 minutes of darkness during the afternoon as the moon travels directly between the sun and Earth. The eclipse will occur across the continental US, moving from the west coast to the east coast. Since it can be extremely damaging to your eyes to look at the sun, there are a few precautions to take to ensure the best possible viewing experience. To maximize your viewing......

Instilling good eating habits before age 2 helps to ensure that your children won’t become picky eaters. Studies have also shown that eating habits are created in infancy influence choices made through childhood and adolescence. Rather than trying to curb eating habits later in life, follow these tips to help develop a taste and appreciation for more foods than goldfish and chicken nuggets. Give It Time Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is a child’s appreciation for a wide variety of foods. Discovering new foods can be a long and sometimes stressful process. The key to create a taste for ......

Baby proofing your home can seem like a daunting task, but with children under 1 at the highest risk for unintentional home injury death, it is essential. In addition to securing cabinet doors and stocking up on baby gates and outlet covers, there are a few other precautions to take to ensure your home is safe for baby. Stove knobs can be a magnet for small hands. Reminiscent of toys, young children have a difficult time resisting the chance to turn them. Keep the flames at bay by using knob covers for the stove and use a latch to keep the oven door from turning into a jungle gym. Baby pro......

While it seems like an ideal solution, time outs are not always as effective as we’d like. For many parents, the expectation is that children will emerge from time out calm, cool and collected, while often times that isn’t the case. Whether they refuse to sit still or simply the outburst lasts long after the timer goes off, time outs don’t always do the trick. A study from the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland revealed that upwards of 85 percent of parents are making mistakes when issuing time outs. Before you wash your hands of time outs and pull out your hair, try these time o......

No 4th of July celebration is complete without a night sky light up with a beautiful fireworks display. Celebrate America’s birthday with a bang at these local events and fireworks displays. 1st: Lake Winnepesaukah at 10pm 3rd: Pops on the River at Coolidge Park at 10pm Collegedale Veterans Memorial Park 4th: Chattanooga Lookouts game at AT&T Field Lake Winnepesaukah at 10pm We hope you have a holiday weekend filled with friends, family, fun… and of course fireworks!...

Discipline can be one of the most difficult aspects of parenthood. The test of wills can leave you frustrated and tired. Disciplining a toddler is about more than spanking them, it focuses on setting boundaries while stopping dangerous, aggressive or inappropriate behavior. Here are a few tips to help you through the discipline process. Pick Your Battles You’ve heard it a million times, but decide whether or not an action is necessary. Picking your battles clarifies your priorities and makes life easier. Define realistic limits and follow through with appropriate consequences. Don’t spend too ......