It's like an episode of mystery diagnosis. Thirteen-year-old Danielle Fisher got sick last fall and got progressively worse until she was unable to even get out of bed without suffering from vertigo and shortness of breath. Doctors weren't any help, offering up guesses ranging from Epstein-Bar virus to a tumor; one even suggested that all she needed was a psychiatrist. So Danielle's mom decided to do some research of her own.

She searched the internet for Danielle's symptoms and came up with a surprising answer: Lyme disease, caught from a tick bite. After checking with an expert, she is now on a proper course of treatment but if the disease had been left untreated, Danielle could have faced nerve damage, paralysis, and blindness. As for her mom, she says that "this disease is a lot more common than people think and I just want to make people aware of it."

While the internet is by no means a perfect source of information -- there is plenty of misinformation out there -- it is useful for research which can then be provided to a doctor. I know that if my kids get sick or start acting odd, I start checking the internet for information. I think you do, however, have to take anything you find with a grain of salt.

According to new research, they just might. A recent study suggests that pregnant mothers who eat nuts may impact their child's health later on. Women who consume nuts or "nut-products" like the beloved peanutbutter may increase the risk of asthma in their children by as much as 50%.

Before we go any further, I would like to point out for the record that peanuts are NOT nuts, they're legumes. It's true. Anyway, the Dutch researchers in charge of the study are leary of advising pregnant women to forego peanuts as they provide protein and nutrients. Although seafood also causes similar allergic reactions in children, the researchers were only able to make a connection to peanuts.

Four thousand women were surveyed for what they ate while pregnant along with their children's eating habits over eight years. The research indicated that women who ate nut products daily were more likely to have children with asthma. The link persisted despite factoring for the children's diet. Although there is no conclusive evidence at this time, the researchers think the toxin from the peanuts could pass through the placenta and sensitize the unborn baby. Needless to say, more studies are needed before anyone throws out her peanut butter jar!

Photo by Dr Stephen Dann.

Three-year-old Caitlin Powell is living every tot's dream: her parents have sold their home and quit their jobs and are devoting their days to taking Caitlin and her seven-year-old sister on a series of fabulous vacations. Next month the family will go to Florida; next year they are planning an African safari.

But this isn't all fun and games; Caitlin has Sanfilippo Syndrome, a degenerative neurological condition that will eventually render her incapable of caring for herself or functioning normally. Doctors have told her parents that she will most likely not live past the age of 12.

Emma and Ben Powell, Caitlin's parents, have decided to face their tragedy by turning their remaining years with Caitlin into one big adventure. They have sold their home and quit their jobs and are planning to travel with Caitlin and her sister for as long as they can. "'I can't think about the future with Caitlin, it breaks my heart," says Emma. "She won't be with us for very long so myself and Ben have made a conscious decision to make every day special for her from now on."

Caitlin's story is truly heart wrenching, and her parents seem to have found a way to cope with their inevitable loss. At the same time, though, there is an element of irresponsibility to their plan. According to Caitlin's father, there will come a point where she needs full-time care, which is costly. I can't help but wonder how the Powells are planning to pay for Caitlin's care after all those years of vacations.

Three-year-old Caitlin Powell was diagnosed with Sanfilippo Syndrome, a rare disease that will, according to her doctors, bring her life to a close before she's a teenager. Now, most parents, upon hearing such news, would continue with their lives while trying to make their child as comfortable and as happy as possible.

Not so Ben and Emma Powell. They weren't content with the idea of taking their daughter to the local park after work and on weekends; instead, they wanted to fill her remaining years with more joy and excitement than most people experience in a normal lifespan. So they started making sacrifices. The quit or cut back on their careers so as to have more time with Caitlin and then sold their house to have the funds to do so.

10 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up

---

First up on their itinerary is Disney World in Florida and, while they're there, swimming with dolphins. Then they'll hit a couple of theme parks back home in England along with the Scottish Highlands. Next year, they'll hit the African continent for a safari. "She won't be with us for very long so myself and Ben have made a conscious decision to make every day special for her from now on," says Emma Powell. "Caitlin's happiness is our motivation."

One of my few regrets is that I didn't take out a second mortgage in order to take my dad on a trip to his native Germany before he died. It sounds like the Powells won't have the same regrets. Kudos to them for putting their daughter first.

The drug Heparin is in the headlines because once again, tiny babies were mistakenly given too much of the anticoagulant used to prevent intravenous blood clots and keep IV lines clear.

This time the overdose isn't being blamed on the company's bad labeling, however. The mistake in this case is co completely due to human error. Hospital pharmacists in a Texas hospital mixed up too strong a dose of Heparin which resulted in seventeen babies being given 100x's the recommended dosage for their size. Two premature siblings have died, but it is not yet known if their deaths were Heparin-related or due to other factors.

Just a couple months ago, actor Dennis Quaid testified before a House committee about the agony his family went through when his newborn twins were given a Heparin overdose. The experience spurred Quaid and his wife to start The Quaid Foundation in order to bring attention to the devastation human error can have in a hospital setting. The site contains a link for people to sign an online petition for the Health Care Quality Improvement Act, that would allow Physicians and nurses to whistle blow without being fired or given penalties for reporting potentially dangerous practices within their work environment.

While it's too late to help the babies in this latest incident, it seems pretty clear that the medical community needs more effective safeguards to protect patients, especially the tiniest ones.

The French seem like they're right up their with Americans in the Angelina Jolie pregnancy fervor. And rightly so--this is the most publicity France has received in a long time! Plus it helps us forget about that whole 'Freedom Fries' thing.

According to French reports, the Oscar-winning actress is set to give birth to her twins next Tuesday. If the source is to be trusted, Ange is mega-pregnant, tired of the hospital food and just wants those babies OUT OF THERE. I know how that feels--you recall the final stages of your pregnancy, yes? Happy to be with child, ready to experience the miracle of life...ready to get your body back!

Apparently Jolie is keen to give birth asap, but the medical staff feel it would be better to induce her on Tuesday. She wanted to go forward on Monday, but that's Bastille Day! Normally, in New York City anyway, inductions are all done on a Friday. Not sure why that is but it does give the new mom (and her family) the weekend to recover. I still think she's going to have a C-section like so many other Hollywood stars, that she's not reached the end of her last trimester--all in order to avoid losing her A-list body! Only time will tell--or, at least, Tuesday will.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recognized that super-sized kids are battling the same health issues as overweight adults and are recommending children as young as eight be given cholesterol drugs in an attempt to prevent future heart problems.

Dr. Stephen Daniels, of the academy's nutrition committee, says the new advice is based on mounting evidence showing that damage leading to heart disease begins early in life, as well as research showing cholesterol-fighting drugs are safe for children.

"If we are more aggressive about this in childhood, I think we can have an impact on what happens later in life ... and avoid some of these heart attacks and strokes in adulthood," Daniels said.

Becoming rich and famous has done more for Cindy Crawford than allow her to live in a fancy house and buy great shoes. Her high profile has given her the opportunity to give back to a hospital with a special place in her heart. The University of Wisconsin Children's Hospital (now the American Family Children's Hospital in Madison) was home to her brother when he was suffering from leukemia back in 1975. Sadly, Jeff died from the illness shortly before his fourth birthday, but Cindy is forever grateful for the care he received.

To show her appreciation and to help other kids suffering from cancer, supermodel Cindy has been giving her time and money to the UW Pediatric Oncology program for almost 20 years. This past weekend, she served as honorary chair of the fourth reunion of childhood cancer survivors in Madison.

Of her charitable work, the 42-year-old mother of two says, "When I was able to start raising money and awareness, I was able to choose where do I want to give back in my life, and this just was the first place that popped into my head."

I think it is great when someone with so much takes the time to give back. But what makes her work more meaningful - at least to me - is that she isn't just throwing her money around and getting write-ups in People for it. She is actually showing up in person and spending time with the people who need her help.

Do you know what's for dinner? Mom and blogger Stephanie O'Dea does, and chances are she's cooking it in one of her five Crock-Pots. In January of this year, Stephanie made a New Year's resolution that she would cook at least one meal a day using a Crock-Pot. Not only has she stuck to her commitment, she's created a blog to share her experience and her recipes. A Year of CrockPotting (misspelled to catch the Google searches) details her menu hits (Original Crock-Pot Taco Soup) and misses (Overnight Quinoa and Brown Rice Pudding).

Stephanie's resolution recently caught the attention of famous kitchen diva Rachael Ray, where Stephanie got a chance to show her stuff. The show will air July 23rd, where she'll show Ray's viewers how to make Crock-Pot creme brulee. I had the opportunity to talk to Stephanie this week about her experience on the show, as well as her year of Crock-Potting and she had a lot of good stuff to share with ParentDish readers.

I'm one of those moms that cares a lot about the food my family eats. Even as food costs rise, we've cut back in other areas in our budget so that we can continue to buy organic and locally grown meat and produce.

But by far, the most important thing I do to ensure that my family eats healthy, well-balanced meals is to COOK. That is why I found myself particularly peeved as I read a Time Magazine cover story entitled "How America's Children Packed on the Pounds."

In summing up the answer to the dilemma presented in the cover story title, the author describes "a long multifront war" on childhood obesity as such: "Parents are fighting it in the home....... Policymakers are fighting it as they study the growing body of research..... Doctors are fighting it as they deal daily with the ills associated with childhood obesity. And perhaps most important, teachers, mentors, and public role models are fighting it as they help kids navigate a culture that fosters fat but idealizes thin....".

Teachers, mentors, and public role models are the most important front in this war??!! I have a serious problem with the assigned hierarchy. In fact, this mentality, which inevitably leads to millions of wasted tax dollars, makes my blood boil!

A child's food preferences, habits, and his/her relationship with food are determined at HOME. Teachers, mentors, and public role models (whatever that means) can do precious little once the mold is set.

If America thinks that real solutions to childhood obesity lie in government campaigns such as the $125 million "VERB" campaign aimed at preteens and featuring Miley Cyrus, they are either grossly naive or, more likely, in serious denial. The campaign's budget was eventually slashed, which Time Magazine described as the government "dropping the ball."

Actually, parents are the ones "dropping the ball." We don't need another million-dollar government study to figure out that childhood obesity increased at about the same time that the once sacred family meal became optional and even non-existent in some homes.

If your child is a latch-key kid who heats up his dinner in the microwave or if eating take-out in the car on the way to soccer practice has replaced good food and conversation around the family table, you may have a genuinely good reason for your family's meal arrangements. And that's fine by me.

My problem is not with your particular arrangement (to each his own), but rather with our national denial. We blame McDonalds, school lunches, commercials, video games, the government -- the list goes on.

To combat childhood obesity, kids don't need government funded celebrity campaigns or mentors as much as they need parents who take the time to plan and cook nutritious meals that family members are expected to attend.

Why do we insist on complicating things so much? It's the family meal, stupid.

For more information about Rachel, visit her website at www.rachelcamposduffy.com.

Teaching your child to call 9-1-1 in an emergency is an important part of house safety rules. For Jessica Eaves, 24, however, it was crucial that her child know how to contact help on her own. Jessica has a medical condition called vasovogal syncope, which can cause her to faint.

Since her daughter Madelyn is only three, Jessica made up a song to teach her how to call for help on Jessica's Blackberry phone -- "9-1-1 green." That song made all the difference in the world last week when Jessica fainted and Madelyn was able to use the phone to call for an ambulance.

Madelyn called for help last year as well, when Jessica had taught her the song "green, green, green." By pushing the green button on the phone, Madelyn called the last number dialed and that adult called for help.

If you or your partner have ever had to take drugs during pregnancy, then you know what a juggling game it can be. Basically, doctors only prescribe a medication if the benefits outweigh the risks to the pregnancy and the developing fetus. Want to take a decongestant for your stuffy nose? Forget it. Need an inhaler for asthma? Go right ahead.

One of the reasons doctors know so little about how drugs affect unborn babies during pregnancy is because there has been so little research done. USAToday has a really interesting article on the "drug drought" for pregnant women right now. Though many pharmaceuticals are considered safe for conditions women have before they become pregnant, there are no new drugs in the pipeline for medications that treat pregnancy-related conditions such as pre-eclampsia.

Drug manufacturers say the drug drought is due to safety issues -- no one wants to test drugs on a fetus. Others think it's more financial in nature. Pregnancy-related conditions are often short-lived and are relatively uncommon, so there's no real money in treating them. Either way, it leaves some women with extremely limited options when problems do arise. In the case of pre-eclampsia, treatment often includes delivering the baby, even if it's too soon.

Did you have to take medications during pregnancy? If so, did this "drug drought" affect you?

Depending on who you talk to, Summer officially started yesterday evening. In short order, the street fairs and other summer festivals are set to make their debuts, if they haven't already. Amidst all the fun, thrills and excitement, the lights and sounds--and smells--of the fairs, there's another main reason people of all ages travel to such things: The food. It's deep-fried, a lot of it, it's greasy, and it sure is tasty. It also presents some precariousness for a parent of a child with a serious food allergy. After all, who knows what exactly is in that stuff? Most of the time, we'd rather enjoy it and not know.

Dr. Amal H. Assa'ad, a member of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology warns parents to inspect every molecule of food their children may come in contact with, and recommends children with severe allergies such as peanuts and tree nuts carry an Epi-pen with then at all times. I would add to that, from personal experience (I have one of these life-threatening allergies) that you SHOULD ALWAYS WEAR YOUR MEDICAL EMERGENCY ID BRACELET. As my CPR instructor noted, if my throat is closed up and I can't speak, and I'm not wearing my bracelet, no one is going to know I have a nut allergy and to give me the Epi-pen shot.

I hate to say this too, but parents should consider packing and bringing snacks they know are safe to any event, whether it be a potluck or a street fair. Sure, the food is tempting, but most of the people selling it didn't make it, don't know what's in it--oils, for example, are known to be terrible allergens but most servers don't know if what they're serving was made with peanut oil or soy oil--and don't understand how severe the consequences can be when the provide misinformation. Bringing your own food is sure to be healthier, too. Dr. Assa'ad also recommends that parents who suspect a child may have any sort of allergy get it checked out immediately. Honestly, as a kid, I never did. I just had the reaction and we thought, ok, we'll avoid that FOREVER. It's not a great way to navigate through the endless purveyors of things that smell delicious, but could be deadly.

If your child is between the ages of five and fourteen, this summer he or she can help change the world by helping to rid it of malaria. According to this, Malaria kills over 3,000 children a day. Malaria is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito. A simple solution? A $10 mosquito net.

Brooke White, of American Idol fame, along with American Idol Gives Back and Malaria No More, are championing efforts to rid the world of Malaria. This summer, they're urging children to use their summer vacations to do the same. White says she is inspired to be a part of the campaign and is amazed by the youth these days--according to her, they're "the most globally-conscious and actively engaged the world has ever seen."

Ideas to help this summer include turning summer-time activities like carwashes and lemonade stands into fundraisers, putting that time in front of the computers to use by social networking to spread info on and awareness of the cause, and designing T-shirts with witty slogans to help spread the word. For more information on how to fight malaria, as well as three other cool ideas to help fight the battle, click here.

Not too long ago, Scott Baio was looking for love. The Happy Days star eventually found it, with Renee Sloan, and soon after was set to become a father. In November 2007, Scott did become a father, to baby girl Bailey Deluca. Then, disaster struck. His newborn daughter was diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening metabolic disorder. The star kept the entire thing under tight wraps, even as he and Renee tied the knot.

Says Scott: "It was the worst time in my life.... The disease is a constant in your brain. It never leaves you." After over two months of testing, it was revealed little Bailey had tested a false positive. While Scott and his wife felt relieved, he noted that the scare put everything in perspective.

I can't imagine what it must have been like for them to go through such a thing. I feel for any parent who has medical concerns about a child. I used to spend all my time worrying about my son; now I split that time between worrying about him and my unborn daughter. Baio was incredibly lucky that his baby's illness turned out to be only a scare--many parents are not so lucky. Still, scare or no, it's all a part of being a parent--welcome to parenthood, Scott.