Communication is one of the very first skills we learn in order to navigate the world. As infants, we are quick to begin communicating our needs and respond to those around us. However, babies who are born with hearing disorders and children who lose their sense of hearing face a very different communication landscape—one that now involves technology and strategies to help them to communicate with the wider world.

When Annie Seal’s daughter was 15, she was diagnosed with an eating disorder. After intensive, comprehensive treatment, she has fully recovered, and is now a junior in college. But there is not always a happy ending for those with this complex illness. For 20 percent of them, it’s a fatal disease, Seal says.

The Gatesworth is getting ready to break out the silver, as it celebrates its 25th anniversary this fall. That kind of longevity doesn’t come easily, and it has been earned with a commitment to providing the highest possible level of service, says director of operations Bob Leonard. “We do quality, not quantity,” he says. “We’re not trying to run 30 senior living facilities—we have one at each level of care. We decided to do one thing, and do it right.”

The next time you think you’re too smart to be scammed out of money, consider the Ladue businessman who recently lost $3 million in a Jamaican lottery scam.

As the executive director of Nurses for Newborns, Melinda Ohlemiller sees the struggles families face first-hand. “The families that we serve are in need in ways many of us could not imagine,” she says, recalling a recent home visit where a 4-year-old sibling sat on her lap and asked if she had a pencil. “She was so grateful; she had nothing to write with. We take a pencil for granted, and we take diapers for granted.” But despite the lack of basic necessities, “we also see incredible resiliency,” Ohlemiller notes. “Some of these families are beaten down, but they stand up, pick themselves up and move on. We want to be part of the solution. That’s our mission, to support them.”

People make an effort to hide their tears, while some offer to wipe others’ tears away. But for our eyes, a constant supply of tears is needed to see clearly and comfortably.

Kim Eberlein (Volunteer Leadership)

Story: Walter Huff makes his living selling insurance policies in Los Angeles. He meets with gruff businessman Herbert Nirlinger to discuss the latter’s insurance needs. While at Nirlinger’s impressive home, Huff strikes up a conversation with Herbert’s wife, Phyllis.

Every last fixture, decorative panel and crown molding must be perfect for a remodel to look authentic, local contractors say. That’s why they go above and beyond—special-ordering pieces from around the country to be fit precisely into place by experienced local craftsmen. This attention to detail is what preserves each home’s architectural integrity, says Dave Dunlap, owner of Consolidated Design & Construction Group.

Jan Albus considers Variety the Childen’s Charity of St. Louis her 14,000-member family. As executive director and a national board member, she leads the nonprofit in helping children with physical and mental disabilities reach their full potential.

An elderly couple transferring wealth, an entrepreneur seeking business investment advice and a three-generation family preserving a legacy—they all turned to the Commerce Family Office.

Some of life’s biggest moments—marriage, the birth of a child and retirement—are a time to celebrate. But local legal professionals say families should also remember that life-changing events mean changes in your life insurance coverage.

In today’s challenging economic climate with mine fields of financial schemes, a trusted financial adviser has become more important than ever. So local professionals recommend doing your homework to find a reputable one.

The American Sleep Association estimates that about 12 million Americans have obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing stops for short periods multiple times during the night. Sleep apnea doesn’t only cause excessive daytime sleepiness, its most noticeable effect; it also increases risk for heart attack and stroke, making it a serious medical condition for the millions who don’t know they have it.

Most adults remember getting the bad news at least once during a childhood visit to the dentist: You have a cavity. That announcement was followed by the dreaded return visit for a filling. And despite having more cavity-prevention tools at their disposal, many of today’s children are following in their parents’ footsteps.

Story: Walter Lee Younger Jr. shares a cramped, dilapidated apartment on Chicago’s South Side with his wife Ruth, his son Travis, his mother Lena and his sister Beneatha. While his wife and mother accept their poverty and their lot in life, Walter Lee chafes at his suffocating situation. He has big plans for going into business as the co-owner of a liquor store with his friends Bobo and Willie. Those plans will cost money, but Walter Lee is anticipating a big check from his late father’s insurance company on Walter Sr.’s life insurance policy.

It begins innocently enough. A white or yellow spot appears under the tip of your toenail. You don’t think much of it until you notice it’s spreading. Soon, your nail begins to thicken, develop a ragged edge and discolor. It’s ugly, and it could be somewhat painful. You have a fungal infection.

KENNY TERBROCK and SUE SCHAEFFER have joined forces to create Terbrock & Schaeffer Signature Build. The premium custom home building and remodeling company will offer services to the St. Louis and St. Charles metropolitan areas.

When Ken and Lori Heise start discussing the possibility of purchasing an annuity with a client, sometimes they have to start by dispelling a few myths. “Maybe I didn’t like a Chevrolet 30 years ago, but now it’s a whole different car,” Lori Heise says. “For some people, by closing their minds, they might be putting themselves in jeopardy when there could be a better solution.”

The numbers show that women make up 45 percent of the workforce and control 95 percent of financial decisions in households across America. “Women are more prone to worry about their families, health care costs and the ability to meet their financial goals given the uncertainties within the economy today, so the value of a trusted advisor serves a significant need for women,” says complex director Carole Wentz, who notes that Merrill Lynch has 28 female financial advisors serving the local market.

A roof over your head doesn’t seem like much to ask for, but some St. Louisans face homelessness everyday. Here are two stories of how local organizations provided help at critical times.

Labor Day is just around the corner, which means one last round of pool parties and grill-outs. While we would like to think these get-togethers are all fun and games, sometimes people get injured. And when that happens, can the host be held responsible?