Parenting Healthy

The human brain is a very delicate organ, which is why healthcare professionals prioritize any sign or symptom that might develop during the trimesters of pregnancy and the early childhood stage of maturity.

Imagine being weeks into a pregnancy and the doctors spring a heartbreaking news that your baby has an IVH or brain bleed. This not only messes with you emotionally and mentally, but also fills you with fear, questions, and endless searching for answers to the big question: What is intraventricular hemorrhage?

This article gives a breakdown of what intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) means in simple terms, helping parents and caregivers have a better grasp on how they can provide the right care and support for the journey ahead.

What Is an Intraventricular Hemorrhage?

An intraventricular hemorrhage is a critical brain condition that happens mostly to babies whose blood vessels are still fragile. It affects the brain’s ventricular system, a primary site where cerebrospinal fluid is produced and circulated, causing mild to severe bleeding. While IVH happens mainly to babies born before the 32nd week of pregnancy, it can also happen in adults after head injuries, strokes, or trauma.

When the blood vessels in the brain rupture, it can lead to the congestion of the hollow space in the cerebrospinal fluid, which can further affect other nearby tissues in the brain, causing birth complications, respiratory distress syndrome, fluctuations in blood pressure, and infection or low oxygen levels.

The severity of an intraventricular hemorrhage is one of the reasons why medical experts often advise pregnant women, parents, and adults to be watchful for signs and symptoms that might develop before it reaches the grade III and IV stages, which carry higher risks of complications.

Causes, Symptoms, and Prevention of IVH in Newborn Babies and Adults

An intraventricular hemorrhage mainly occurs due to mistakes that could have been avoided either by the doctor or the mother. For babies, IVH can be caused by a lack of oxygen during birth, maternal infection during pregnancy, low heart rate, and untreated high blood pressure in the mother, among many others. Likewise, before these causes are showcased, symptoms like pale skin, unusual crying, poor feeding, and sleeping difficulty are often experienced by the baby.

For adults, symptoms include stiff neck, seizures, severe headache, and vomiting. When this happens, it is best to visit any nearby medical centre with expertise in neurology, where a prognosis can be made about possible treatments depending on the grade.

Grade I and II are mostly small hemorrhages that are limited to the ventricles, from which many infants can fully recover, while grade III and IV have a higher risk of long-term effects, causing cerebral palsy or hearing and vision impairment.

Overall, prevention is tied to mothers monitoring respiratory and blood pressure, managing preterm labor risks, and attending antenatal care early enough, where maternal corticosteroids can be given to help fetal lung development.

Endnote

An intraventricular hemorrhage is a serious condition that can be tackled when detected early. While this bleeding can occur due to a mistake on the doctor’s side, in this case, victims can take legal action by hiring an attorney to help seek justice and compensation.

Watch The Short Game in Theaters this weekend

September 4, 2025September 4, 2025 Erin Sluka

If you are a sports lover, are familiar with the gifts of special need children and love a family film that is for all ages, The Short Game (2025) is a must see. It is easy to become so focused you loose sight of what and who is right in front of you. These brothers both needed each other and they just needed that reminder.

Synopsis:
Jeremy Avery is vying for a college golf scholarship awarded to the winner of the State
Championship, but his preparation and game are affected by family pressures and having
to take care of his younger autistic brother, Ethan. These challenges, along with the
pressure of carrying his team to State against an opponent who will do anything to win,
leads Jeremy on a journey of discovery both internal and of his brother’s savant-like gifts,
that if embraced can create an unstoppable pair. On the brink of his greatest victory,
Jeremy is forced to make a life-altering decision, finally realizing his own personal dreams
or standing by his brother.

The trailer below will really hook you (pardon the pun)!

You can watch The Short Game in theaters starting August 29, 2025. Want to win a $10 Amazon gift card? Enter for hyour chance below! Open to 18+ and in the U.S.

Enter to win – Click Here

Home

Small Design Details That Deliver Magic

August 23, 2025August 23, 2025 Erin Sluka

What comes to mind when you think of home decor and revamping your interior style? Chances are you immediately go to things like sofas, tv, statement lights and showstopping furniture right?

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, your big-ticket items are the ones that capture people’s attention.

But do you want to know a secret?

Oftentimes, it’s the small details that do the heavy lifting. A grand sofa in your living room is amazing, but how do you make it feel part of the room and pull everything together?

Yep, with the small touches.

Because it’s the small touches that will work cohesively together to deliver that finished look. Think of them as the punctuation marks in the room’s story, without them, it’s just a big jumble of ideas making little to no sense.

Small Design Details That Deliver Magic — Photo by Pixabay

Switches That Blend, Not Stick Out

Light switches are everywhere. They’re in every room, and they perform a vital function. But more often than not, they’re not aesthetically pleasing, are they? Those plain white squares on the wall, are they adding to the look that you’re trying to achieve or sticking out like a sore thumb?

This goes for your outlets, too. You need your outlets, but you don’t need them ruining your aesthetic. Swapping them out for paintable brass plates for switches & outlets will suddenly make the whole wall seem intentional. You can match the paint to the wall colour so it blends seamlessly into the decor as if it’s a part of the wall, not an afterthought.

Let There be (Framed) Light

Lighting is not just for illumination; it’s for setting the mood of a room. But there’s more you can do with your lights. Adding a frame around your ceiling lights or choosing sconces with architectural edging can give the impression that the light was intentionally incorporated into the design. Even recessed lights can benefit from the gravitas of a contrasting finish. Think of it as adding eyeliner to your ceiling-subtle but striking.

Change The Unchangeables

A contradiction, sure, but there are elements in your home that need to be there, and you can’t change them. We’re looking at you, breaker boxes, air vents, thermostats, or even that cable box. You need them, but they’re not exactly easy on the eye, are they! So instead of pretending they don’t exist, style around them.

A thermostat can easily be integrated into a gallery wall, so it’s less conspicuous. While that breaker box or electrical panel can easily be hidden behind a hinged canvas or decorative cabinet door. Your air grilles can be swapped from basic to decorative options, so they don’t lose functionality but look slightly less offensive. The trick is to stop thinking of these aspects as problems and treat them as design opportunities and you’ll be winning.

Flirty Finishes

You don’t need Tinder to get flirty; you can get your finishing touches in on the act to elevate your home. The thing is, everything in the room doesn’t need to be matchy-matchy. For example, your brass light switch can wink at your brass lamp base while your black shelving gives a subtle nod to your black picture frames. Small but mighty echoes of consistency across different parts of the room will tie everything together nicely for elevated results.

Healthy Living

Helping Senior Relatives Find Stability After a Loss

August 22, 2025August 22, 2025 Erin Sluka

Losing a loved one is never easy, and when that person is a senior, the impact on their spouse, siblings, or close friends can be especially profound. Beyond grief, there are practical tasks that need to be managed, such as sorting through belongings, finalizing the will, and arranging death cleanup if the home needs it.

These steps are difficult, but they are only part of the journey. Families are often left asking a bigger question: what happens now for the senior relatives who remain?

For some, the answer is simple. They may be healthy enough to stay where they are, surrounded by a strong community. But for many families, it is important to think about the safest and most supportive living arrangement moving forward.

Helping Senior Relatives Find Stability After a Loss — Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash

Making Room at Home

One option is to welcome your loved one into your own household. This can be a meaningful way to keep them close while ensuring they have daily support. Preparing your home may involve practical steps like creating a bedroom on the main floor or adding safety features in bathrooms.

Some families take it a step further by building a small “granny annex” or accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on their property. These separate living spaces give senior relatives privacy and independence, while offering peace of mind to the family. It is a solution that balances closeness with dignity, and for many, it becomes a long-term arrangement that works well.

Looking for a Safe Environment

For seniors who need more structured care or for families who cannot provide round-the-clock support, assisted living can be a safe and nurturing option. Assisted living communities are designed to provide help with daily activities such as meals, medication, and mobility, while still encouraging independence.

This option is especially helpful for seniors who may feel isolated after the loss of a spouse. Having access to social activities, wellness programs, and professional caregivers can make a huge difference in quality of life. Families often find comfort in knowing their loved one is not only cared for but also engaged with peers in a supportive environment.

Considering a Move Yourself

Another approach is to flip the question: instead of asking your senior relative to move, could you move closer to them? This decision comes with both advantages and challenges. Living nearby allows you to be part of their daily life, help with errands, and provide companionship. It can also be reassuring for your relative to know that family is just down the street.

However, moving your own household is no small task. Costs, job changes, and children’s schooling are all factors that need to be weighed carefully. For some families, though, the trade-off is worth it if it means preserving strong family connections and ensuring their loved one feels supported.

Finding the Right Balance

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to supporting senior relatives after a loss. Some will thrive in your home, others will do best in an assisted living community, and in some cases, moving yourself may be the most practical solution. What matters most is finding a balance between safety, independence, and emotional well-being.

Grief already brings enough uncertainty. By exploring these options with care and compassion, you can help your senior loved ones find stability and comfort during a season of change.