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Mom needs a play date!

Task after task, demand after demand, need after need. Sometimes I feel like this is my day to day mantra. When I hear myself getting to complaint after complaint, I know it’s time for a break. Parenting is often about responding to what may seem like an endless parade of needs and requests. If you also work away from home, you may be responding to additional “needers” but the process is pretty much the same.

Would you like some cereal with that bowl of sugar?

Fruit Loops, Cap’n Crunch, Apple Jacks, Reese’s Puffs- the list could go on and on. All of these cereals boast of their nutritional value by claiming, “now provides fiber”, “made with natural flavors”, or “made from whole grains”, but they all have one thing in common- their shockingly high sugar content. The problem is, these cereals are what many kids crave, thanks to cereal companies who try (and succeed) in luring kids into wanting, NEEDING their sugary cereal product through marketing campaigns that target young children.

Friends can impact your child’s activity level

“You are who your friends are.” The phrase every parent knows, but no kid, especially teenagers, wants to hear. Parents often use this popular line as a way to encourage their pre-teen or teenager to choose friends who will set a positive example, build their character, and create healthy habits.  But recent studies have shown that this theory can even apply to kids as young as 5 years old. Young kids like to play “follow the leader” and are easily influenced by what those around them are doing, especially when it comes to physical activity (or lack thereof).

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.

Would you protect a child from abuse?

Recently, the headlines have been dominated by case after case of sports figures or other leaders of youth-serving organizations being accused of harming children in their care. Often, these stories are made worse by revelations that others had suspicions of abuse or even witnessed it occurring, yet failed to report their concerns to the proper authorities. I bet most of you were like me when you first read or heard about these stories and thought, “I can’t believe these people knew of threats to children and didn’t act to help them,” all the while telling ourselves that if we were in their shoes, we know we would have done the right thing and reported our suspicions.

Vijay Mehta, DO

Dr. Vijay Mehta is a board-certified pediatric gastroenterologist at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Center for Digestive Health and Nutrition. He diagnoses and treats gastrointestinal, liver and nutritional disorders in pediatric patients ranging from premature babies to young adults. He has special interest in:

Kathleen Marie Vazzana, DO

Kathleen M. Vazzana, DO, MSc, FAAP, is a board-certified pediatric rheumatologist at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. She evaluates and treats children with rheumatic diseases, which are chronic autoimmune and autoinflammatory conditions affecting growth, development and quality of life.

Kevin T O'Brien, DO

Perinatal Palliative Care

Crohn's & Colitis Pediatric Education Day

The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America and the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Center for Digestive Health and Nutrition invite