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The times, they are a-changin' when it comes to vaccinating your tot. Following recent news that an overwhelming majority of parents are not comfortable with the vaccinations their children receive, a new study finds that more moms and dads are using alternative vaccine schedules for their kids than ever before. According to the latest issue of Pediatrics, 13 percent of families are not following the calendar created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, choosing to use alternative schedules that delay or skip various vaccines. Among the most missed vaccines are those for the flu and chicken pox, while the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) is the most frequently delayed, despite findings denying the link between the vaccine and autism.

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Do you follow the CDC's recommended vaccination schedule?

Yes — We follow the calendar set out by the CDC.

No — We use an alternative schedule that spaces out the shots more.

No — We don't vaccinate at all.

When I hear the word hypnosis, a man swinging a pendulum in front of a person squawking like a chicken is what comes to mind. Stage hypnosis, performed by entertainers, is vastly different than therapeutic hypnosis, which is used to improve a person's well-being. Over the last 10 years hypnosis has gained more recognition because more and more research shows hypnotherapy can effectively treat medical conditions. A number of studies have discovered that this type of treatment can help alleviate chronic pain, reduce stress and anxiety before surgery, and also lower health care costs since patients using hypnosis have shorter hospital stays.

The hypnotic state has been likened to meditation or daydreaming; when hypnotized, one has a heightened sense of inner focus and concentration. When under hypnosis, people tend to feel calm and relaxed and be capable of paying attention to one specific thought, memory, emotion, or sensation while blocking out any other distractions, making them extremely open to the power of suggestion, although they remain completely aware and in control of their actions. This is why hypnosis is used for weight loss, smoking cessation, pain control, childbirth, dental procedures, anxiety, and gastrointestinal problems such as IBS. It should be noted that one session won't instantly "cure" your ails, so don't expect to instantly despise cigarettes after your first appointment.

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Have You Ever Tried Hypnosis?

Yes, and it really helped.

I tried it but it did nothing for me.

I've never tried it, but I've always been curious.

Nope, sounds like quackery to me.

Did your tot cram for her first exam? You might hope so! Immediately after birth most babies undergo the Apgar test with doctors and nurses observing the lil one's appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, and respiration. They're graded on a one-to-10 scale with babies landing in the eight and above range deemed healthy tots. But what happens to those tots that score below the healthy range?

While monitoring and light therapy may be used on infants in the hospital, a new study finds that the lower scores stick with kids later in life. According to a new Swedish study, kids who had Apgar scores of seven or below "had roughly double the odds of attending a special school because of cognitive deficits or other difficulties" later in life. The scientists behind the study think that the reasons for the low score could impact future brain activity. Do you put any weight behind the study?

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Do you believe that the Apgar score and education are linked?

Yes — It seems reasonable to think that the two are tied.

No — The study seems like a stretch linking the two together.

Other — I'll tell you in the comments.

A sure sign that Summer's in full swing is the smell of sunscreen in the air. Drop the tots off at camp and mama's likely to be bombarded with the wafts of the lotion carefully lathered on by mom. But if mama's in Maryland and her tot still comes home with a sunburn, don't be surprised! In what's being called the nation's strictest rules on the matter, the state is now regulating who may reapply sunscreen to campers throughout the day, and it's not who you think.

Starting this Summer, parents must sign a form granting their child permission to wear the skin-saving lotions and sprays. They must also indicate whether or not their tot can have assistance from camp counselors. And if a friend wants to help your lil one put on the lotion, think again. Campers are not allowed to aid each other in the process — ever. The state has issued the regulation in an attempt to prevent inappropriate touching at camp (and this current version is more lenient than the first one, which outlawed counselors from applying suncreen at all), but have they gone too far?

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Have Maryland's new rules gone too far?

Yes — The risk of kids getting skin cancer from the sun is more of a threat than inappropriate touching.

No — In this day and age, camps can't be too careful.

Other — I'll tell you in the comments.