The back to school season means homework to complete, lunches to make, extracurricular activities to schedule and sometimes–much to the dismay of parents everywhere–head lice to combat. “It’s the dread of all parents,” said Jennifer Snyder, MD, and pediatrician with…
The minute she saw the umbrella, she knew. They had been acquaintances for a long time. Both were from small-town Virden; He was just one year ahead in school. Their kids went to the same daycare. She saw him almost…
College can be an exciting time for students–a fresh start, new friends, redefining yourself–but it also can be a very overwhelming and stressful time, too. With 75 percent of all mental health conditions beginning by the age of 24 and…
Facing cancer wasn’t the hardest thing Jennie Creswell ever had to do. Telling her then sixth-grade son, Harrison, that she had been diagnosed with cancer was. Her son’s first words nine years ago when he heard the news still make…
Tick bites are on the rise. And the type of ticks that carry illnesses, such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, can be found in central Illinois. The three major ticks to watch out for in our area…
If you suspect you have a hernia, there’s no need to panic, said John Mellinger, MD, and Jim Fullerton, MD, co-medical directors of the Memorial Advanced Hernia Center. Although they won’t go away on their own, most hernias are easily…
Chances are you’ve sipped straight from the water hose. With a yard full of sprinklers, water guns and a kiddie pool, why leave the summer fun to go inside for a drink? But is this age-old practice safe for kids…
Recently, there’s been a lot of talk about depression. We know what depression looks like: loss of interest, depressed moods, low energy, no motivation, feelings of hopelessness. But, do we know what we can do about it? “A variety of…
Successful hernia treatment often involves more than just surgery. Patients can benefit from lifestyle changes both before and after a procedure to repair a hernia—changes that may also help prevent the hernia from recurring. “We now understand, better than we…
Your mom said it, so it must be true, right? We’ve all heard them. Old wives’ tales you grew up with like, “Kids should wait 30 minutes after eating before hopping back in the pool,” and “a good base tan…