Jacob Barnett, 14-Year-Old With Asperger’s Syndrome, May Be Smarter Than Einstein
When Jacob Barnett was 2 years old, he was diagnosed with moderate to severe autism. Doctors told his parents that the boy would likely never talk or read and would probably be forever unable to independently manage basic daily activities like tying his shoe laces. But they were sorely, extraordinarily mistaken. (via Huffington Post)
Pollution May Increase Kids’ Risk For Diabetes
Living in a highly polluted area could increase a child’s risk for developing insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes, Medical Daily reported. (via Fox News)
Obesity ‘obsession’ Causes Underweight Children To Be Overlooked, Researchers Claim
A group of researchers claim the public’s “obsession” with the obesity epidemic has caused many to overlook the issue of underweight school-aged children, BBC News reported. (via Fox News)
Teens Texting At The Wheel Tied To More Driving Risks
Teenagers who text while driving are also more likely to engage in other risky activities, such as riding with an intoxicated driver or not wearing a seatbelt, a new study suggests. (via Reuters)
Recording Reveals K12 Inc., Florida’s Online Education Provider, Struggled to Comply With Law
The Florida Center for Investigative Reporting and State Impact Florida have obtained internal emails and a recording of a company meeting that provide new insight into allegations that K12 Inc., the nation’s largest online education company, uses teachers in Florida who do not have all of the required state certifications. (via Huffington Post)
I am lucky not to have any food allergies, but I still want to make so many of the delicious-sounding recipes in Elizabeth Gordon’s new book, Simply Allergy-Free: Quick and Tasty Recipes for Every Night of the Week. Just looking at the gorgeous photos in the book, you’d never know that ever recipe is free of gluten, dairy, soy, eggs and nuts. Author of the blog My Allergy Free Life and owner of the online allergen-free bakery Betsy & Claude Baking Company, this busy mom of two girls has multiple food allergies. She says, “I like to think of these recipes as the little black dress of my pantry—simple and economical fare that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.”
She shows you how to use (and where to buy!) key ingredients like xanthan gum, agave nectar, superfine rice flour, powdered vanilla rice milk, and sorghum flour, which can make gluten-free and allergen-free foods taste like “the real thing.” The recipes I can’t wait to try include chicken tikka burgers, chickpea French fries, beef tostadas, corn quinoa salad, herbed biscuits, and chocolate pretzel pie. Yum!
I’ve been to a ton of great talent shows over the years, but none have come close to impressing me as much as the Garden of Dreams Talent Show. The free event, put on by the Garden of Dreams Foundation and the Madison Square Garden Company each April, gives children struggling with unfortunate circumstances, such as illness and homelessness, the chance to forget about their problems by showing off their talents on the Radio City Music Hall stage.
I blogged about the show beforehand after chatting with celebrity host Tony Vincent and was expecting it to be chock full of great performers from his behind-the-scenes preview. What I wasn’t expecting was to be sitting in the audience with tears in my eyes after each act. To watch these genuinely talented kids express themselves and their hardships through their performances was an experience I can’t quite put into words.
Take 5-year-old Malik Naser, for example. Malik has to receive daily blood transfusions due to an illness and uses music as a distraction during the difficult routine – but you’d never know from the way he stood center stage sporting a fedora and bow tie as he sang Bruno Mars’ “Walking on the Moon.” Or there was 10-year-old Jeremy Dickinson whose love for singing got him through his neuroblastoma. He says he decided to perform “Put on a Happy Face” because he was always smiling, even through his toughest treatments. And if those two didn’t melt your heart enough, 6-year-old Julianna Pierre, a pediatric cancer patient at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, sweetly sang her favorite song from The Lion King, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.”
The 15 other acts ranged from a seriously talented break dancing group called “High Energy” to rapper Kasean Session, whose powerful lyrics are about witnessing his mother’s murder when he was 6 years old.
The amped up audience, awesome celeb hosts (New York Giants Super Bowl champ Victor Cruz, the Rockettes, and Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels from Run DMC – to name a few), and unlimited free popcorn made the whole night as fun as it was touching. I can’t wait to see what will come of these young role models and what the Garden of Dreams Talent Show has in store for next year.
Check out the Garden of Dreams video below (shown at the beginning of this year’s show) to see for yourself how incredible these kids truly are.
Photo: Performer Malik Naser with New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz
This post was written by our friends at Celebrity Baby Scoop.
Happy Mother’s Day!
In celebration of moms everywhere, let’s take a look at Hollywood’s newest matriarchs who will celebrate their first Mother’s Day on May 12. From Drew Barrymore, to Giuliana Rancic, to Shakira, to Adele, look through our list of 15 star moms celebrating for the first time this year.
Giuliana Rancic:
Reality stars Giuliana Rancic and Bill Rancic welcomed their first child, son Duke, on August 30. The new mom opened up to Celebrity Baby Scoop about her big plans to celebrate her first Mother’s Day.
“Bill and I are having our moms come to LA for Mother’s Day – to make it special for all of us,” she shared. “We’re planning a fancy bunch with the whole family at a nice hotel in Newport Coast and then a walk on the beach. Really, I just want to relax and enjoy the day together as a whole family.”
She added: “This Mother’s Day is especially meaningful because it’s my first time to celebrate as a mother, of course! After struggling for years to have a baby, it’s a real gift to be able to spend the special day with Bill, Duke and our family.”
Holly Madison:
Before welcoming her first child, daughter Rainbow, on March 5, Playboy model Holly Madison spoke to Celebrity Baby Scoop about her hopes for her first Mother’s Day.
“I hope my boyfriend [Pasquale Rotella] and I can find something fun to do that someone only a few months old will enjoy,” Holly shared. “Maybe we will take her to the Springs Preserve (a park here in Vegas) and see if she reacts to any of the animals and the nature.”
Kristin Cavallari:
The Hills alum Kristin Cavallari, 26, welcomed her first child, son Camden, on August 8.
Engaged to Camden’s dad, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, Kristin recently chatted about the joys of motherhood.
“Motherhood came very naturally to me. I’m enjoying every second. He’s such a happy, sweet baby. Every day is something new and exciting. Being a mom means being responsible for another life and it no longer being about you. It’s the most rewarding thing in the world.”
Malin Akerman:
Rock of Ages star Malin Akerman, 34, and her drummer husband, Roberto Zincone, welcomed their first child, son named Sebastian, on April 16.
“My husband and I welcomed our beautiful, healthy baby boy to this world this morning! Biggest joy of my life!!! #lovemykid” Malin announced via Twitter Tuesday.“PS and his name is … Sebastian Zincone )) Love him more than life itself!! #whatafeeling !!!”
Kristen Bell:
Parenthood star Dax Shepard, 38, and House of Lies actress Kristen Bell, 32, became parents in March.
The longtime couple welcomed a daughter on Thursday, March 28. “Lincoln Bell Shepard is here,” the proud new papa announced via Twitter. “She has mom’s beauty and dad’s obsession with breasts. Hooray!!!”
“My new roommate poops her pants and doesn’t pay rent…basically Dax pre-sobriety,” the new mom added via Twitter. “Welcome baby Lincoln.”
Can I tell you how many cribs we build here at American Baby? About a dozen a year, sometimes more…enough that we know a sturdy crib when we see one. Bonavita Lifetyle Cribs go in the “built to last” category. They are cribs that convert to a toddler bed, and then to a headboard and footboard for a fullsize bed, so though they cost a bit more, they’re made to last for all of childhood.
There’s another reason I like cribs that grow with your kid…you’re not tempted to try and make a crib work for new baby siblings. You introduce safety hazards every time you take a crib apart and then rebuild it for another newborn, because you risk screws growing loose or going missing. Keeping a piece of furniture with one child, turning it into a toddler bed and then fullsize bed, eliminates those problems. I am something of a safe-sleep evangelist, so here’s a link with more on making your crib safe.
In time for what may be your first Mother’s Day, Lajobi, the parent company behind Bonavita, will give you the opportunity to win their “Sawyer” Lifestyle Crib, in Linen Gray. The crib only comes out in June 2013, and will be sold exclusively at Buy Buy Baby for $500. To be eligible to win, leave a comment below, up to one a day between now and the end of the day on Wednesday, May 15. We’ll randomly chose one winner after that. Click here to view the official rules. Goody luck!
U.S. approves Novartis drug Ilaris to treat childhood arthritis
Novartis said on Friday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved its drug Ilaris to treat a serious form of childhood arthritis. (via Reuters)
Give immigrants healthcare access: U.S. kid doctors
A group representing U.S. pediatricians said this week that its members should pay special attention to the healthcare needs of immigrant children and support health insurance for all – regardless of legal status. (via Reuters)
Pregnancy Interventions Widespread, Not Always Desired, National Survey Shows
Nearly 60 percent of moms said they believe giving birth is a natural process that should not be interfered with unless medically necessary, however the same women reported significant intervention when they were in labor, according to a new national survey. (via Huffington Post)
Texas May Soon Require Cameras In Special Education Classrooms
A bill that would require video cameras in all special education classrooms was passed in the Texas Senate in April and is currently being considered by the state’s House Public Education Committee. (via Huffington Post)
Kids of Tiger Moms Are Worse Off
In her controversial memoir, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,” Yale law professor Amy Chua defended her draconian parenting methods, explaining how being a controlling “Chinese-style” parent drives Asian-American children to succeed in ways that permissive “Western-style” parenting does not. But a recently released decade-long study of 444 Chinese-American families shows that the effect tiger parents have on their kids is almost exactly the opposite. (via Yahoo)
Want to know the instant your baby pees? There’s an app for that. No, really. There is an app for that — in Brazil.
Huggies Brazil recently announced Huggies TweetPee, a small humidity-detecting sensor that looks like an owl and clips onto Baby’s diaper. Once your baby pees, the sensor will send you a tweet telling you it’s time to change your little guy’s diaper.
The accompanying TweetPee iPhone app uses the sensor to help you keep track of how quickly your babe goes through diapers and lets you order Huggies diapers when your supply runs low.
Check out the Huggies TweetPee video (in Portugese):
Huggies is only testing the product with four parents and will expand that number to 10 in July, ABCNews says. The company hasn’t announced plans to release this product in North America, but if it were available here, would you use it? Tell us in the comments below.
What’s the biggest gift your mother gave you? Is it your strong independent streak? Your insane sense of humor? Or was it post-soccer-practice Taco Tuesday that she somehow pulled together every week?
With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, we’re thinking a lot about the beautiful gifts that mothers give—and about how we can pass along similar gifts to the children in our lives. (It’s no surprise that 89 percent of moms say they’re happy to be turning into their own mother when it comes to parenting—our moms are incredible!)
Maria Shriver lost her mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, more than three years ago—but that doesn’t mean the incredible gifts her mom gave her have faded in any way. In fact, Maria has made a short (and holy-wow, seriously emotional—get out the tissue box!) film celebrating the gifts her mother, founder of the Special Olympics, left her with.
Beyond being super moving—it WILL make you want to call your mom!—Maria’s film, “The Gift My Mother Gave Me,” is available to watch and share with other parents right on Facebook. And one of the most touching things about it is that, thanks to the people over at P & G, each time you share the film with a Facebook friend, they’ll donate a dollar to the Special Olympics—up to $50,000 that will help to promote the basic tenants of acceptance, encouragement, and community—three things I think almost any mom hopes to instill in their children.
Have you seen the video? Did you go through two tissues like I did? What’s the biggest gift your mother gave you? Tell us in the comments!
I am lucky not to have any food allergies, but I still want to make so many of the delicious-sounding recipes in Elizabeth Gordon’s new book, 
I’ve been to a ton of great talent shows over the years, but none have come close to impressing me as much as the Garden of Dreams Talent Show. The free event, put on by the 
Ilaris to treat childhood arthritis
Want to know the instant your baby pees? There’s an app for that. No, really. There is an app for that — in Brazil. 
What’s the biggest gift your mother gave you? Is it your strong independent streak? Your insane sense of humor? Or was it post-soccer-practice Taco Tuesday that she somehow pulled together every week? 