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  • Is it safe to get the flu shot when you're pregnant?

    Answered by Dr. Jessica Vaught, Director of Women's Services, Advanced Gynecologic Surgery and Pelvic Medicine, Winnie Palmer Hospital

  • Does your child need the Hepatitis B vaccine?

    Written by David Sunnenberg, pediatric hospitalist at Arnold Palmer Hospital

  • Have you heard? The Nutrition Facts label is getting a facelift.

    I’ve seen countless news articles and blog posts encouraging people to read the Nutrition Facts label to help make better food choices, and many even explain what to look for. But if you’re like me, it can still be confusing and overwhelming at times. I mean, the food labels were created over 20 years ago and haven’t been updated since, other than to add trans fats to the labels.

  • Learning to slow down and enjoy quality time with my son

    About two weeks ago, my 8-year-old son was feeling yucky. The excessive amounts of pollen floating in the air caused his nose to get stuffy, his throat and head to hurt, and his eyes to water. We gave him a day off from school to rest. On that day, he lay down on my bed to chill out. He wasn’t really tired enough to fall asleep, but at the same time, didn’t really feel up to doing much of anything. I lay down next to him.  We talked a little, I stroked his hair, handed him tissues.  It was the first time in a long, long time that we were still together, not doing anything. Despite the fact that he wasn’t feeling well, it was really nice. It reminded me of when he was really little, and I realized that I missed doing that with him.

  • Is your child lactose intolerant?

    Lactose intolerance is a common problem that affects millions of people worldwide. It tends to affect certain ethnic groups more than others, and occurs more frequently in black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian and Ashkenazi Jewish people.

    What is lactose intolerance?

    Lactose intolerance is when your body can’t digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and milk products. In order to properly digest lactose, the enzyme lactase must be present within the small intestine. Those who don’t have enough of the enzyme lactase have trouble digesting lactose, which leads to a variety of symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, cramping or diarrhea.

    Know the difference between lactose intolerance and milk allergy

    Lactose intolerance is not an allergy. Some children do have an allergy to the protein found in cow’s milk, but this is entirely different than lactose intolerance. Allergies involve an overactive immune system, and a milk allergy can result in damage to the digestive tract over time. Lactose intolerance is a deficiency in lactase and doesn’t involve the immune system. While lactose intolerance can be very uncomfortable, it doesn’t usually cause damage to the digestive tract.

    Symptoms to look for in your child

    The symptoms of lactose intolerance can occur suddenly, but more often develop over time. If a child experiences abdominal pain, gas, nausea, bloating or diarrhea after consuming milk or dairy products, lactose intolerance could be to blame.

  • Txting and driving among teens.

    April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and what better way to bring awareness than to talk about the dangers of texting and driving among teens? Studies show that a large number of accidents can be attributed to distracted driving, more specifically, texting and driving. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I am guilty of this, too. There have been several times that I have caught myself texting or emailing while driving, only to find myself barely escaping what could have been an accident. And every time, I tell myself, “That was a close one. I am never picking up my phone again while driving.”

  • The HPV Vaccine: Questions, Facts, and Misconceptions

    What is HPV?

    HPV stands for human papillomavirus, and these viruses are the most common sexually transmitted viruses in the United States. Most of the people who are diagnosed with HPV are young and sexually active. The rates of HPV infection are high because most people who have HPV do not know they are infected because sometimes the virus shows no symptoms. Most HPV infections show no symptoms, and resolve within two years. However, there are many different strains of the HPV virus, and there are high-risk strains (HPV types 16 and 18) that are associated with cervical, anal, mouth, and throat cancers.

    What is the HPV vaccine?

    The HPV vaccine is a vaccine that can help protect your child against the high-risk forms of HPV that can cause cancer. It does not protect against every HPV strain (since there are more than 100), only 4 high-risk strains of HPV. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that girls AND boys receive the vaccine starting at ages 11-12. The vaccine is given three times over a period of six months. To receive the maximum amount of protection, your preteen should receive all three doses. The HPV vaccine can be given at the same time as other vaccines.

    Why should my child start receiving the HPV vaccine now? She’s so young!

    Many parents ask this question, because they are unsure about giving their preteen a vaccine that protects them against a sexually transmitted infection when he or she is not engaging in sexual activity. Parents will ask if the vaccine can be delayed until their child decides to start having sex. HPV vaccines offer the maximum amount of protection for your child when they are given in all three doses BEFORE your child begins to have any sexual activity with somebody else. One study has shown that almost 80% of infected teenagers have contracted HPV within 2 to 3 years of the first time they engaged in sexual activity.

  • Are we parenting from the rear view mirror?

    Over the past couple of weeks, the back-to-school rush has been in full swing. New schools, new milestones, new sports activities- it’s the beginning of lots of new things for our kiddos and for us as parents. My Facebook feed has been filled with first-day-of-school photos displayed by proud parents (me included). But, along with those proud and joyful moments, there’s often a hint of bittersweet regret. Our kids are growing up too fast. Where did the time go? They aren’t babies anymore. I hear and see those phrases a lot.

  • 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.

  • Blessed with tiny treasures: Carson and Kendall’s story

    Written by Heather Shields