2013 Special Features Archive Stories

Reading is magical, for a variety of reasons. It opens doors to worlds of adventure and imagination, while at the same time, it's a skill that is essential to one's success as an adult. Reading to our kids at every stage – from in utero on – provides a variety of benefits. Stumped on how to get your child to l

In an issue devoted to reading, of course there is an article devoted to technology and how it helps children in learning the first, and most fundamental, of the three Rs.Well, this column is going to go a step further. That article focuses on smart phones and tablets, and the apps that encourage and teach younglings how to read. Whi

Yuma County is full of programs and resources to get kids excited about reading. Thanks to a grant from First Things First, Yuma libraries are expected to receive multiple AWE (Advanced Workstations in Education) ELS (Early Literacy Stations), filled with early literacy games and activities for children to take advantage of.

During a recent Babytime at the Yuma Main Library, Marina Torres cuddled with her 14-month-old son, Esteban, as she read him the rhyming children's book, “Find the Bird.”Reading together is a special time for mother and toddler. Torres has been reading to him since she was pregnant with him, voicing everything out loud, e

Learning begins at birth, and parents use the basic principles of reading, talking to and nurturing their child to help them start getting kids ready for school. In addition to the tips below, parents are encouraged to check libraries, newspapers, websites, community centers and bulletin boards for local events and additional resourc

With the end of the school year rapidly approaching for many students, parents may be wondering where they can take their children during the summer to participate in fun and educational activities. The answer? Your local library.There are eight public libraries located throughout the county. Each is operated by the Yuma County Libra

With Arizona third-grade students required to meet reading standards at the end of the 2013-2014 before moving up a grade level, local elementary schools have ramped up their focus on literacy.As part of the “Move on When Reading” initiative, if students do not meet the standards, they will be retained in third grade and

Emily Scherrer, the youth services manager at the Yuma County Library, knows what the youngest bookworms like. Check out some of her suggestions for the little ones, whether they can read on their own yet or not.BABIES & TODDLERS (3 and younger)Board books made of sturdy paperboard (or washable cloth for those prolifi

Two-year-old Micah Blackburn is an expert at using his mom's iPad and iPhone. Without any help, he swipes his little finger across the screen, finds the e-book app he wants and presses and picks his way around the interactive story.“I play them with him the first few times and then he can do it on his own,” said his mom,

Husband and wife team Dr. Nader Haddad and Dr. Dania Sweidan operate Yuma Women Clinic, which focuses on obstetrics and gynecology services. Their goal is to provide good communication and personalized care with their patients. In fact, their web site notes, “You are not ‘that patient who is having a hysterectomy or the patient who i

On the heels of the Great Recession, one might consider adding financial literacy to the list of skills student lack.In his recent State of the Union address, President Barack Obama spoke of seeing a “Sputnik moment” for the nation's education system and the need to better prepare students with skills in math and science.

Teaching fire safety to children is critical, especially to kids aged four and younger.According to the United States Fire Administration's National Fire Incident Reporting System, children in that age group account for about 52 percent of all child deaths due to fire nationwide. Fire-related injuries are also highest in

Forever seared in the mind and heart of Clay Lawson is the memory of a 20-month-old girl killed in a vehicular rollover accident near Quartzsite in 2006 in which the child was ejected from the vehicle. He was with her when she died while being airlifted to a hospital in Phoenix. What Lawson doesn’t understand — and fo

As parents, we spend most of our waking hours protecting our children in some way or another, often without even realizing it.As the mother of a six-year-old, I find myself changing the channel on the television when there's something violent, rather than allow her to see it.And when she's riding her bike, she must wear a

Libraries and schools aren't the only places your child can “brush up” on their brain-building skills. There are plenty of activities that you can engage in with children at home, in the car, or yes (!) even on vacation.The National Research Council recommends that children enter school with these six early literacy skill

Outlet plugs. Toilet locks. Cabinet latches. Door locks. Hard plastic utensils. Specifically textured foods. Small, tiny pieces.Smoothed playground edges. No exposed bolts. Soft rubber floors.There is no end to what we do to keep our children safe. Products, companies, foods all exist to protect them.

Outlet plugs. Toilet locks. Cabinet latches. Door locks. Hard plastic utensils. Specifically textured foods. Small, tiny pieces.Smoothed playground edges. No exposed bolts. Soft rubber floors.There is no end to what we do to keep our children safe. Products, companies, foods all exist to protect them.

Reach Out and Read Arizona (RORAZ), a program of the Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AzAAP) and the Reach Out and Read National Center, seeks to improve the lives of families by making early literacy a standard part of pediatric primary care. Reach Out and Read is a pediatric literacy program endorsed by the American Acade

Forever seared in the mind and heart of Clay Lawson is the memory of a 20-month-old girl killed in a vehicular rollover accident near Quartzsite in 2006 in which the child was ejected from the vehicle. He was with her when she died while being airlifted to a hospital in Phoenix.What Lawson doesn't understand — and for which the

When baby-proofing a home, it's a good idea for parents to actually get down on all fours to a baby or a young child's level to see what potential dangers exist. While unfortunately no environment can be 100 percent safe, many precautions can be taken to ensure that, along with close supervision, children are protected from harm and

From the river for a cool dip on a hot day to the bath tub for more practical matters, water is all around us.It can also be a hazard for young children. Ryan Butcher, injury prevention coordinator for the Yuma County Health Department and a member of the county's child fatality review team, says drowning is the leading cause of deat

The possibility of being injured in a vehicular accident isn't the only risk small children face from cars.Even a parked vehicle could be a hazard, whether a child is forgotten or accidentally locked in the vehicle, warned Mike Erfert, administrative fire officer for the Yuma Fire Department.“A car can get hot fast

Dr. Saad Al Alou is a board-certified pediatrician with the Yuma Kids Clinic.He did his medical residency at St. Joesph's Children's Hospital, which is affiliated with the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in Paterson, N.J. He worked at Mason General Hospital and Cascade Valley Hospital in Washington for six years before coming to Yuma

Not surprisingly, weather-related injuries – heat stroke, burn from hot seat belt buckle – are common in Yuma, according to a local pediatrician.But some might think it's ironic that water-related injuries and accidents are just as common in this desert community.However, Dr. Robert Cannell, a pediatrician at

It's news that would alarm any parent: Yuma County has experienced a 31 percent increase in child sexual abuse. Even scarier, many of the cases involve the “most vulnerable,” children birth to 4 years old.What can parents do to prevent it from happening to their children? What should parents and childcare providers do the