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When family expectations differ from your doctor’s advice, what’s a new parent to do?

Written by Lisandra Perez, MD

Bullying: teaching your kids not to be a bystander

Many of us who were bullied in childhood look back on those days with anger, sadness, and pain. We know how horrible it can be. For many that were bullied, it was truly a traumatic experience. Now, that we are adults, those days are long gone. However, now, we are the parents, and unfortunately, even though we may not have to worry about bullying for ourselves, we must now think about it in regards for our kids.

Potty-training woes? Sometimes we just need to laugh

Have you heard about my potty-training woes?

Do your kids or teenagers drink energy drinks?

The debate about kids and their drinks of choice came to the forefront recently as a family featured on the show “Toddlers and Tiaras “described their pre-pageant routine. Watch this clip from “Good Morning America” where Mom describes how her concoction of “go-go juice” (a mixture of Mountain Dew and Red Bull) gets her daughter ready for the stage:

Movies are more violent than they used to be

My daughter’s fourth birthday is coming up soon. A few days ago as we were driving home from school, I asked her what type of presents she might like for her birthday. I knew the grandparents and great-grandparents would soon be asking so I’d better get some ideas.

What happens when we compare our child’s illness to another?

Recently, a friend shared with me a book whose title and premise really upset her. She is the mother of a cancer survivor and friend to many cancer patients, and the title of the book offended her to the core. It’s called, “I wish my kids had cancer: a family surviving the autism epidemic.” I hesitated even to share the title of the book because it elicits such strong emotions, even to those of us who’ve never read the book. And, I’m not sure that this book deserves the attention we’ve given it, good or bad.

Get to know Dr. Pinnelas, a pediatric hospitalist

Over 20 years ago, I began my career in Orlando as a private pediatrician. I was very happy as an office-based pediatrician, and I never dreamed I would have changed my career path. I always enjoyed making hospital rounds before going back to the office for the rest of the day. I also had an opportunity to teach students and residents at the hospital which was intensely rewarding. The hospital approached me over 14 years ago and asked if I would be willing to start something “new” which was to create the Pediatric Hospitalist Service at Arnold Palmer Hospital. Becoming a pediatric hospitalist was a very new specialty in the United States. It had just started to gain some traction in the adult patient population but was rare in pediatrics. I was game, so with my best friend and mentor, Matthew Seibel and two of the best nurses on planet earth, we founded this new venture.

So what is a pediatric hospitalist?

Four Reasons not to be a Helicopter Parent

You’ve probably heard the stories of parents calling college presidents, yes, presidents of colleges, to complain about issues their college students are having. It can be something as petty as a roommate is leaving old takeout food on the dresser to a professor grading “unfairly,” according to the student.

Your Teen’s Weight Could Be Linked to Chronic Kidney Disease

If your child is overweight, they may be at risk of developing chronic kidney disease in early adulthood. Once that happens, it’s impossible to repair the damage, so it’s important to encourage your child to eat well and exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight.

Does My Teen Have Thyroid Disease?

It could be easy for you to miss that your teen has thyroid disease. Symptoms can be subtle, appear gradually and be mistaken for other conditions. Hormones produced by the thyroid can affect heart rate, energy, metabolism, growth and development – so it’s important to know the signs.