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  • How to tame kids' ever-growing Christmas list wishes

    My family celebrates Christmas.  Recently, my son wrote his Christmas list.  I guess it’s a sign of the times, but most of the items he is requesting this year are technological in nature and are at least $50.00.  Here’s the kicker:  He’s only seven.  I figured I’d have a few more years before the list started to contain gadgets like laptops and ipods, but it looks like I was wrong.  I read through the list and my initial reaction was, “Are you kidding me?!  No way!”

  • The Mighty Landis

    Landis was born premature at 32 weeks and spent 4 weeks in the NICU at Winnie Palmer Hospital. What began as a scary moment for Landis's parents Brian & Hilary has become a defining moment for their family. Thanks to Dr. Gregor Alexander and the incredible team in the NICU Landis has grown from a tiny infant into "The Mighty Landis" - a healthy, happy and hilarious little wild man. Just because you start out mini, doesn't mean you can't be mighty!

  • Choosing a pediatrician for your family

    After you process the initial joy of learning that you are pregnant, you will soon realize that you have many decisions to make for you and your baby. These choices may include picking baby names, finding an OB-GYN physician to take care of you during your pregnancy, deciding which hospital to deliver your baby, and choosing a pediatrician for your family. While many decisions can seem overwhelming, picking a pediatrician does not have to be if you know what you are looking for in a doctor.

    Talk to other parents about recommendations for a pediatrician.

    If you are beginning your search for a pediatrician, talk to your friends and family members that are parents. See if any particular names pop up repeatedly, either positively or negatively. Remember to keep an open mind, though. One person’s not-so-great experience with a pediatrician in the midst of many other positive recommendations may be a result from that particular family and pediatrician not being a good fit. The reverse is also true; one family’s amazing pediatrician may not be exactly what you are looking for. But at the very least, talking to other people is a starting point for your search.

    Plan to meet the pediatrician…before your baby is born.

    After you have made your list of potential pediatricians, the next step is to meet them in person. Many pediatric practices will host open houses for new parents, or will schedule prenatal consultations. By meeting with a pediatrician, you will be able to see if his/her beliefs, values, and attitudes regarding pediatric health care are in line with your own. You can decide if you like him/her or not…plain and simple! You and your baby will have at least 10 well-baby visits to the pediatrician in the first two years of life (not even counting sick visits!), so it helps if you like your pediatrician. Ask the pediatrician if he/she is pediatric board-certified (taken and passed the pediatric board exam) or board-eligible (preparing to take the pediatric board exam).

  • Hearing with a cochlear implant: Paola's story

    Paola Fidalgo is finally able to hear her family thanks to a cochlear implant, or artificial hearing device implanted in her ear. Before the cochlear implant, Paola was unable to hear a door slam, but now is asking her mom to turn down the radio in the car because it's too loud. Hear her story and learn how a cochlear implant has changed her life and offered new hope.

  • Talking to Teens about Sex

    As an adolescent medicine specialist caring for youth at a time of life when first crushes, first dates, and first loves (and for some youth, the first time) happen, I cannot help but notice the obvious lack of communication between parents and teens about sexuality, and quite frankly, sex. For many parents, sex in the teenage years is something to be feared and forbidden and is often a source of family conflict. Many parents cringe at the idea of talking about sex with teens. And when they do talk to teens, conversations usually focus just on the dangers of sex and romance -- STDs, pregnancy and heartbreak.

  • Potty-training woes? Sometimes we just need to laugh

    Have you heard about my potty-training woes?

  • 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.

  • Things you may not know about your child's asthma

    Written by Heather Staples, 4th year medical student at Florida State University College of Medicine.

  • 3 Things to Know About Baby’s Tummy Time

    1. Tummy time is an important playtime for babies!

    Tummy time is playtime for babies when they are awake. When your baby is awake and can be supervised by an adult, they should be placed on their tummy on a firm surface for about 5 minutes to play. This activity can start as soon as you bring your baby home from the hospital, and babies should have tummy time about 2 to 3 times per day. Tummy time helps strengthen a baby's muscles.

  • Getting her tonsils and adenoids removed

    My daughter, Hannah, is a typical 10-year-old girl. She loves spending time with her friends and family, doing gymnastics, reading, being silly and taking self-photos. She’s a girl who’s always on the go, except when she is not feeling well. Hannah’s tonsils have always been enlarged, and when Hannah is sick, she almost always has strep throat. Hopefully, fighting bouts of strep throat will be history, now that she’s had her tonsils removed.