The American Dream of sending our children to college is just as strong now as it was when we were growing up. Teaching our kids to “dream big” and “reach for the stars” has been ingrained in our culture to a point where a college undergraduate degree is almost as prevalent as the high school diploma of years past. While this isn’t a bad thing, it has emboldened educational institutions to increase tuition and fees at a very high and almost linear rate over the last 30 years. Valuepenguin.com has estimated that the average cost of tuition, fees, and room and board for a public (in-state) college is $20,770. The average all-in cost of a private school is $46,910. If you have a genius living under your roof – and chances are pretty high that you do since you’re smart enough to read this article and the proverbial apple won’t likely fall far from the tree – the cost of a year’s tuition at Harvard is around $78,200! Finaid.org has stated that average tuition costs are increasing at approximately 8% per year. This number is much higher than the recent inflationary numbers of the last decade.

For many people, the thought of having surgery is terrifying. So, My City Wellness Publisher, Vince Lorraine has “scrubbed in” with talented local surgeons as they performed a variety of procedures – a peek behind the curtain, if you will. Our sincere thanks to Bharath Naravetla, MD, Ranjith Dodla, MD and the teams at The Surgery Center and McLaren Flint for their gracious cooperation in creating this ongoing special section.

Child safety extends to many different categories – car safety, safe sleep, household hazards – but one of the best ways to protect your children is through making sure they are up-to-date with all of their vaccinations. Though a hotbed topic, vaccines have statistically been proven to provide the best chance at preventing your child from contracting various diseases, such as measles, mumps, the flu and even cancer. Here are a few reasons why immunizations are an important tool in protecting the health of your child.

Hurley Medical Center is home to this region’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Each year nearly 1,000 babies are born prematurely or critically ill, either at Hurley Medical Center or in the surrounding three-county area. For the best chance of survival, these fragile lives require the expert, highly-specialized critical care available only from Hurley Medical Center’s Level III NICU, the highest level of expertise, the most advanced technology and a dedicated and caring staff.

In 1991, Genesee County was suffering from population and job loss due to the flight of General Motors. Many were finding themselves without medical insurance and therefore, without a place to go when ill. As the population became sicker and sicker without any hope for care, local physician, Dr. M. Nagaraju, looked for an answer to a growing problem. He started a small free clinic in the city for those living in poverty and lacking insurance. Run completely on donations and through partnerships with multiple organizations, the Genesee County Free Medical Clinic (GCFMC) provides primary care services to those in need in Flint and the surrounding communities. In 2001, the clinic expanded service and moved into its current location at 2437 Welch Blvd. in Flint.

January is a month dedicated to increasing awareness of the many birth defects, causes of the afflictions, their impact and prevention. Birth defects are deemed those abnormal structural changes at (or before) birth that can affect almost any part or parts of the body. Defects can be mild or severe depending upon the body part affected. They can occur at any stage of pregnancy, but most defects occur in the baby’s first three months of development.

From a jar or a blender? Which is better for your baby: homemade or store-bought baby food? There is a lot of information on the Internet discussing homemade vs store-bought baby food when you start your infant on solid foods around six months of age, according to riseandshinechildrensnational.org.

One of the most common pediatric complaints is flat feet. Children’s feet go through a normal pronated (flat) developmental phase. The condition becomes a problem if the child complains of pain or has symptoms elsewhere that are related to the feet. Often, a custom orthotic (arch support) is needed to relieve the symptoms. Physical therapy can also help stretch, strengthen and achieve better range of motion of the ankle and foot joints. Severe cases that do not respond to custom orthotics, physical therapy and other conservative care may require surgery.

Last fall, Hurley Foundation unveiled the new Dr. R. Roderic Abbott Medical Education Center. The Center provides technology enhanced rooms for trainings and conferences within the hospital, enhancing our vision to be “leaders in transforming health through academic and clinical excellence, expanding access to innovative care.”

In the prosthetics industry, new technology is being introduced at a fast and furious pace. Mike Bugg, Owner/CEO of Orthotech Prosthetics & Orthotics, feels that although multiple new componentry are available, the three key advancements for the everyday walker and average amputee are the Symphonie Aqua Casting System, hydraulic feet, and advanced micro-processor knees.

Starting from birth, good vision is an integral part of a child’s physical and social development. Just as they must learn to walk and talk, babies must learn to focus their eyes and use what they see to understand the world around them.