Talk to the Doc
May 03 Faint of Heart
A parent’s guide to understanding how fainting relates to common heart problems in children If you ask a child to draw a picture of a heart, you get a curvaceously-shaped, pink or red figure. Heart means love. If you ask a pediatrician to draw a picture of a heart, you get valves, arteries, chambers – maybe even some blue mixed in with red. Heart means pump. But to both, heart | read more…
Mar 30 General Guidelines for Happy, Healthy Kids
Talk to the Doc — April 2012 Moms and dads are artists, and raising children is artwork.The moment our babies are born, we envision an ideal childhood for them, as happy and healthy as it can possibly be. Then we juggle, struggle, teach, reach, plan, and pray, trying to make that vision a reality. Here are some general rules to guide you towards achieving your vision for your child. Physically | read more…
Mar 01 Diagnosing Sports Injuries in Kids
Talk to the Doc — March 2012 “Dem Bones” or “The Skeleton Dance” is a catchy tune , one that teaches kids (and parents) what’s connected where, why, and how. The lyrics are fun, and the information is useful, but what if your child starts complaining of pains in his or her “knee bone” or “ankle bone”? Is it related to “dem bones,” or is it a problem of the | read more…
Feb 01 Developmental Milestones: Tweens and Teens
Talk to the Doc — February 2012 Mother Goose told us that little girls are made of sugar and spice, little boys of snails and puppy dog tails—but we pediatricians know that tweens and teens are also made of estrogen and testosterone. When these hormones surge, parents might feel as overwhelmed as the Old Lady who lived in a shoe. It can be a rocky road, but this transition to | read more…
Jan 01 Kids and Nutrition
Talk to the Doc — January 2012 Nutrition and exercise, toddlers and teens. Has there ever been a more challenging combination? Believe it or not, it’s possible to achieve unity, but it starts with Mom and Dad. Parents are most successful at getting their children to eat well when they model good behavior and healthy habits. First, the basics. There are certain nutrients all kids need, no matter what their | read more…
Dec 01 Holiday Safety
Everybody looks forward to the holidays. It’s a time for family and friends, parties and gatherings, treats and delights. But let’s not forget about safety. Here are a few things you and your family should watch out for this holiday season. Overindulgence Too many sweets plus not enough sleep makes kids cranky and parents far from jolly. Children, especially toddlers, love to graze. At holiday gatherings, they’ll wander from table | read more…
Nov 01 Car Seat Safety
Most parents wouldn’t send their children to school in shoes that don’t quite fit, so why should a car seat that doesn’t fit be any different? A blister from an ill-fitting shoe is one thing—when it comes to car seats, the fit needs to be perfect, or the consequences can be deadly. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, child safety seats can reduce fatal injuries by more than | read more…
Sep 30 Type 1 Diabetes
Breaking for the bathroom every 10 minutes or hitting the water fountain every 20 minutes might seem like common classroom-eluding, homework-escaping, or bedtime-evading techniques, but if it’s consistently interfering with your child’s regular routine, stop and consider that these might be symptoms of a serious medical condition. Type 1 diabetes, sometimes referred to as juvenile diabetes, is most commonly diagnosed at puberty but has been seen in infants as young | read more…
Sep 01 Milestones
From birth through the next 5 years, children reach milestones in how they play, act, speak, listen, and learn. Parents keep a close eye out for these events, but despite the name, these “milestones” are not necessarily set in stone. There’s a wide range of potential development within various age ranges. Yet developmental delays can lead to educational difficulties or learning disabilities. Learning disabilities can in turn affect the way | read more…
Jul 29 Meningitis
A disease that begins with a headache, fever, and fatigue can sometimes progress to a stiff neck or unsettling rash, and can sometimes end with permanent scarring, disfiguring amputations, or even death. This disease can run its course with devastating speed, taking just a few hours, or it can last a few days. It can be viral or bacterial, harmless or fatal, transmitted by a kiss or launched by an | read more…
