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  • 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.

  • Music lessons provide benefits beyond the piano keys (or instrument strings)

    Growing up, a requirement in our home was that my brother and I choose one instrument to learn to play, and we were required to take lessons. For us, this happened to be piano lessons, starting at a young age. I began taking lessons when I was six years old, and continued to play for eight years. That was eight years too long, in my childhood mind. I hated piano lessons – the time required to practice, my teacher’s gnarly fingernails, and worst of all – piano recitals and competitions. Talk about having major stage fright! I was so convinced that my parents were being unjust in requiring piano lessons that I proceeded to write them essays on why I should be allowed to quit.  My wish was finally granted when I took up the clarinet in our high school band. It’s a musical instrument too, right? Well, guess what. Fast forward ten-something years later, and I wish I hadn’t quit. And the worst part of it all - my mom “told me so.”

  • New laws allow schools to give life-saving care to children with severe allergies

    On November 13, 2013 President Obama signed into law the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, a law that will help schools become better prepared to care for children with severe allergies in the event of an emergency. Earlier this year, Florida also passed a law that allows schools to offer life-saving treatment to those children in need.

  • TV time before bed may keep your kids awake longer

    Walk me through your child’s nighttime rituals. What does it look like? Dinner, bath, then wind down with your child’s favorite movie or recorded TV show – sound about right? I would be willing to bet that many kids watch some form of TV before going to bed, as parents attempt to clean up from dinner, do laundry, or finally take a break from a busy day. What if I told you that TV time before bed actually makes your kids stay awake longer? That’s right. If you want your kids to fall asleep faster at bedtime, it may be a good idea to turn of the TV, and even the iPad and computer, at night. Here’s why.

    The Study

    A recent study published in the Journal Pediatrics took an inside look at the effects of TV time on a child’s sleep patterns. Researchers surveyed over 2,000 kids, ages 5 to 18, on their activities within 90 minutes of going to sleep. They found that watching TV was the most common reported activity, and took up at least 30 minutes of the child’s 90-minute pre-sleep activity log.

    What does this mean?

    Researchers found that there was a direct correlation between kids who watched TV and the amount of (prolonged) time in which they were able to fall asleep. When compared to kids who chose non-screen activities before bed, those who regularly watched TV leading up to bedtime had a harder time falling asleep. Based on this study, it is recommended that kids reduce the amount of TV time before bed to improve their overall sleep quality.

    Alternatives to TV time at night

    While the occasional movie night with the kids shouldn’t be banned (and is something that kids can look forward to), there are many other ways to help prepare them for bedtime. Here are some suggestions:  Give your child a warm bath and cozy up to a good book (or two) in bed Allow your kids to quietly play in their rooms, read alone, or listen to music Have one-on-one time. Spend time with your child playing a game or working on a puzzle before bed.  Share a story. Create a fairytale together or quietly sing songs to your little one before turning the lights out.Whatever your child’s nighttime ritual is, try to avoid the habit of staring at a glaring TV screen before bed. Not only will this encourage your child to fall asleep faster, but it even allows for better quality time with your kids at night.

    Share with us! Do you allow your kids to watch TV before bed? What do your kids’ bedtime rituals look like? 

  • Twitter Chat on Common Running Injuries and Injury Prevention

    Thank you to everyone who joined our discussion on "Common Running Injuries and Injury Prevention" with Dr. Davis, Pediatric Sports Medicine Physician, and special guest, Dr. Jean Moorjani, Pediatrician at Arnold Palmer Hospital. The chat was featured live on Twitter, where we tweeted from @APHospital, and others could join in by following the hashtag, #RunWithDrDavis.

  • Updated booster seat recommendations for kids

    Does your child use a booster seat in the car? This might be a question to ask yourself if you are a parent of a young child. It has been previously thought that a child could graduate from the booster seat around age 8, but guidelines are now being revised to take into account a child’s height, recognizing that children grow at different rates.

  • Over-the-counter cough and cold medicine: what you don’t know CAN hurt you

    Did you ever play tag when you were a kid? I remember running around the playground in a desperate panic to avoid whomever was “it." I would run like my life was in jeopardy and strategize about how best to avoid the awful fate of being tagged.

  • What’s all the fuss about the flu?

    Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock somewhere, you’ve probably seen a lot of coverage lately on television and online news about the flu. We hear so much about it each year that often it’s tempting to brush that information aside.

  • Eye screenings recommended for young children

    An eye patch is commonly used for one of two reasons in young kids. One, your child is impersonating Johnny Depp and playing “pirate for the day”. Or two, the patch is being used to treat a condition known as “amblyopia”, also known as “lazy-eye”. Amblyopia is a condition that is easily preventable, which is why pediatricians are now urging eye screening for children as young as 1 year of age.

    What is amblyopia?

    Amblyopia occurs when the brain is not using one eye because it doesn’t see as well as the other eye. This condition only occurs in children and if left untreated, can result in permanent loss of vision. Amblyopia is the most common cause of vision problems in children, affecting 2 – 4% of the US population and is preventable.

    If it's easily preventable, then why is it so common?

    Good question. Currently, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) only recommends testing children for amblyopia between the ages of 3 and 5, stating there is insufficient evidence to recommend testing for younger children. However, a recent study published in the journal Pediatrics shows otherwise.

    The Study

    The goal of this study was to help provide the USPSTF with the evidence needed to include toddlers in their recommendations. Data was collected from a photoscreening program called “Iowa KidSight”, a program that has been offering photoscreening to children as young as 6 months of age since 2000. Over 200,000 screenings of children’s eyes were conducted from May 2000 to April 2011. Of the children screened, the youngest were 6 months old and the oldest were between 7 and 8 years old. Researchers used the data collected by this program (over 11 years worth of data) to compare screening results of young children with that of preschool-aged children.

  • Forget about warts- frogs can make you (and your kids) sick!

    I don’t know about you, but I’m just not into frogs, lizards, snakes or any other creepy, crawly, slimy creature. I am still haunted by memories of my cousins (very mischievous boys!) chasing me with a frog in their hands as I ran for dear life. I’m not sure what I thought would happen if they caught me, but I sure didn’t want to find out.