Relaxation techniques for children and young people.

The relaxation response, relaxation with mental imagery/self-hypnosis, and centering are techniques that can be used by the nurse practitioner in a variety of clinical situations to help children and young people manage stress. These approaches also can be used to treat certain common pediatric problems, such as headaches, enuresis, acute and chronic pain, and habit disorders. The techniques and their appropriate use are described.

Parental understanding of basic infant nutrition: misinformed feeding choices.

To assess mothers' knowledge of good infant nutritional practices, a survey was conducted by the Institute of Pediatric Nutrition. The survey addressed issues related to breast-feeding, the use of iron-fortified formula, frequent spitting up, the introduction of cow's milk into the infant diet, and the nutritional value of fruit juice. Mothers who responded to the survey had difficulty identifying the most appropriate choices. This article presents the survey results and discusses the implications for health care providers who care for children and their families.

Medical assessment of children going into emergency out-of-home placement.

Approximately 500,000 children and infants go into out-of-home placement in the United States each year. Increased attention is being given to the health care of children as they enter and remain in placement. This article describes a model, which has been in operation for 5 years, that provides medical assessments of children as they enter emergency out-of-home placement. The model is a community partnership with the county social service department, the police department, and the hospital. A computerized database that contains records for each child, including medical findings, has been helpful in developing a profile of the children served and contributes to continuity of care.