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Why antibiotics aren't always the answer

When our kids get sick, we often feel desperate for relief and many parents look to antibiotics to help their children get better faster.

Summer may be almost over, but you can't forget about water safety

Drowning remains one of the leading causes of death for children. Florida is known for beautiful weather year-round, which unfortunately means that

Sending a child with epilepsy to school: what every parent should know

Distraction can be a useful tool in helping your child cope with a difficult situation

As a Child Life Specialist, I often joke about the proverbial “toolkit” that I seem to have invisibly available when I work with children. In it are a variety of ideas, books, toys, and other items that I have used in the past that can benefit children as they go through painful procedures or times in the hospital that are particularly stressful. One of my best “tools” in this kit of mine is distraction.

Stitches of love: how a community of volunteers cares for children in the hospital

Four years ago Georgy Cartwright, along with several other ladies, created their very own knitting, crocheting and sewing group which they named, “Stitches of Love.” Most of the members migrated to Florida and were looking to make new friends and put their skills to use. Now, every month they make a special trip to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies to donate their handmade items.  

Do your children really know better than to sext?

As caregivers, we do our best to instill values and morals in our children. We want our children to do the right thing even when we are not around to see their actions. We want them to make good decisions, but as the use of electronics and the number of apps available to them increases, making good decisions often clashes with what’s “trending.”

How to keep your kids from begging for Halloween candy

Halloween has become one of my favorite holidays. I never cared for it much before I became a parent, but now I look forward to it every year. My kids get so excited for the day to finally arrive, and I love seeing them dressed up in their little costumes, even if it’s only long enough for a couple of pictures. We take them door to door, and they continue to be thrilled each and every time a neighbor drops a treat into their ever-growing stash. We come home way past their bedtime with loads of treasure, and they can’t wait to dig through it all and sample their goodies.

How do you cope with a debilitating and invisible chronic illness?

How do you cope with having a debilitating invisible chronic illness, like Gastroparesis? When I was first diagnosed with Gastroparesis, I honestly didn’t know how to feel. It was like I was on a rollercoaster of emotions - accepting one day, and completely confused the next. I later came to the realization that those feelings are completely normal. 

My baby is spitting up: is this normal?

As a pediatric resident I get to see many newborn babies, and I often continue to care for them in our outpatient clinic as they grow. In my experience, spitting up is among the top concerns for mothers within the first few months of their babies’ lives. And why shouldn’t it be? More than half of all infants spit up daily. Well, before I give you some tips to help you manage this at home, I’d love to review some information that we as pediatricians keep in mind when we hear the words “spit up.”

Important information every parent of a child with asthma needs to know

As I pass the halfway mark in my first year as a pediatric resident, I have seen many patients come through the emergency department with asthma, whether it’s for difficulty breathing or cough or chest tightness. All too often though, I find that many parents are unsure of which medicines to give when their child’s asthma is causing problems. This is usually because there are multiple inhalers at home and there can be confusion about which inhaler to give and when. With this post, we will review asthma and go over the differences between inhalers as well as when to use them.