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  • What questions do you have about vaccines?

    Last night, I went to my pediatrician’s office to learn more about vaccines. His office provides monthly educational sessions discussing various aspects of children’s health, and I must admit that I look forward to each and every one. Perhaps that is partially because I am a healthcare professional and I’m a little bit nerdy that way. But mostly it’s because I’m a mom, and each and every time I go I learn something new that helps me take better care of my daughter.

  • Can screen time affect my child's eye health?

    Have you ever caught your child staring at the computer or TV screen, not even taking the time to hardly blink? It’s as if their eyes are glued to the screen from being consumed with what they are doing or watching. For most parents, this is probably a scene you’ve seen far too often.

  • Arsenic in rice: is it safe?

    Last week, Consumer Reports issued a warning to consumers regarding potentially harmful levels of arsenic found in rice and rice products. The Food and Drug Administration also released preliminary data from an in-depth study which seemed to be in line with those conclusions. But, don’t run to the pantry to purge your home of your favorite cereal just yet.

    What is arsenic?

    Arsenic is a chemical substance found in our environment that can be naturally occurring (due to the erosion of rocks or volcanic eruptions) or can occur due to the use of arsenic-containing pesticides. Low levels of arsenic are found in air, soil and water, which means that it can also be taken up into plants as they grow.

  • What you need to know about your baby's developmental milestones

    At some point or another, it is very normal for parents to wonder if their child is developing appropriately. We think to ourselves, “Should she be talking more?” or “When will he start walking?” When we hear about other children around the same age as our own performing certain milestones that our own child hasn’t yet, it’s natural to compare and wonder if everything is okay.

    I’m worried about my child, who should I talk to?

    The first place to start is with your primary pediatrician or family physician. Even though it seems like there are a lot of well-child checkups in the first couple years of your child’s life, those checkups are very important. Since no two children develop at the same exact pace, there is an age range of when certain milestones are typically accomplished. Developmental skills that your child learns how to perform over time can be divided into five categories: Gross motor – using large groups of muscles to sit, stand, or run Fine motor – using hands to eat, draw, or dress Social/emotional – playing with others, cooperating, forming relationships Cognitive/problem solving – learning, reasoning, problem-solving Language – cooing, babbling, speaking, using gestures, understandingAt each appointment, your care provider will ask what new things your child is able to do since the last time you saw them in the office. By keeping your regular appointments, your care provider will be able to keep track if your child is meeting developmental milestones appropriately or not.

  • Learning to read nutrition labels

    Do you find yourself confused over all the nutrition info and marketing on food? With practice at label reading, we can become smarter nutrition detectives. Reading the nutrition panel tells us what is in our food and allows us to easily compare products so that we can make healthier choices.

    To get started, we must look at the serving size.

    The serving size on the nutrition panel shows how much of the food item we should eat to get in all of the nutrients listed on the label. For example, if the serving size is 1 cup. The label will tell you how much nutrition you will get per 1 cup. (NOTE: Many packages contain more than one serving, so measuring out the serving size amount is important. If you eat double servings you have to double the nutrition stats).

    Do you know the 5/20 rule?

    When looking at the nutrition label, the far right hand side lists the percent daily value of each nutrient. Daily value is based off of a 2,000 calorie diet and represents the total amount of each nutrient to eat over the course of an entire day.

  • Does my child need Antibiotics?

    Does My Child Need Antibiotics?

    About once a month, I will get a phone call from any one of my girlfriends who is looking for a friendly “second opinion” about their child. She tells me that her child hasn’t been feeling well for a few days, and she finally got an appointment to see their pediatrician on short notice. She becomes disappointed because her doctor did not give her a prescription for antibiotics for her child. She is upset because her child “always gets better on antibiotics.” My friend voices her frustration because she feels like her doctor “didn’t do anything.” Then she may ask me to “just prescribe something” for her child. I gently have to tell her no, because it is not right for me to do that since her child is not my patient, and I have not examined her child. I reassure her to trust her pediatrician, and to definitely keep her doctor in the loop if her child’s condition is not improving, or actually worsens over the next day or two.

    What are Antibiotics?

    Antibiotics are medications that can be used to treat bacterial infections. For example, if your child has an ear infection or strep throat, your pediatrician will prescribe an appropriate antibiotic to help treat the infection. Anti-virals are medications that can treat viral infections, such as influenza or herpes simplex. Anti-fungals work against fungal infections, such as ringworm or yeast infections.

  • Calling All Teens: Let's get some pep in your step!

    Dear teenager,

  • Questions you may have about vaccines

    Over the last few weeks, we’ve had a few . Here are some answers to common questions that parents may have about vaccines.

    Should I be concerned about thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative?

    Preservatives have been used in some vaccines in the past to prevent contamination with bacteria and other harmful substances. Contamination with such substances could cause serious and even fatal bacterial infections, and thimerosal was used to prevent these harmful events.

  • Signs that your child may have a hearing loss

    Did you know that May is “Better Hearing & Speech” month? When I became an audiologist many years ago, it was considered a great success if a child with hearing loss had been fitted with hearing aids by 2 years of age. Awareness of audiology and better hearing has come a long way since then. Now, we routinely work with parents and infants with hearing loss who are 1-2 months old!

  • Bonding With Baby: What’s a Dad to Do?

    In the months leading up to your baby’s birth, both parents are likely gearing up for the big day they welcome their newborn into the world. For many fathers there can be a lot of pressure to know what to expect and do once the baby arrives. Unfortunately, most literature and resources available tend to be directed toward mothers leaving dads struggling to know how to connect with their infant. Here are a few simple ways that fathers can bond with their newborn.