Large swaths of the U.S. have traditionally used corporal punishment, especially spanking, on children. The Dutch noted how much of this the Pilgrims used on their children when they lived among them (before they went to North America). Attitudes on spanking may change after the American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement in December […]
(This column is one in an occasional series that will discuss health tips that you may have heard, read about or seen on the internet.) Does elderberry syrup help prevent (or at least treat) the flu? Although there is no scientific evidence that I could find that elderberry syrup can help prevent influenza, a study […]
When I was a pediatric intern, I came down with hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). I had a fever and horrendous blisters in the back of my throat (but luckily not on my hands and feet). It hurt to swallow my own saliva, let alone food or drink. It gave me a deep appreciation […]
When I was in fifth grade, a friend and fellow classmate came down with hepatitis A. I knew that he enjoyed exploring the sewers around his home looking for lizards. Since there was no vaccine against Hepatitis A at that time, I had to have a big shot of immunoglobulin to prevent me from catching […]
School is starting all over the U.S. Children are coming together in classrooms to learn… and to spread illnesses. Children in schools often get sick. Sometimes they need to stay home. There are three main reasons to keep a child home from school and some guidelines for when this should be done. 1) Children who […]
Artificial food dyes are found in many of the foods that we eat and drink. They are manufactured chemicals that, by coloring foods and beverages, make them look more appealing to us. These dyes are also used to preserve the colors of certain foods or to make them look consistently the same across many batches. […]
Periodically, I like to revisit the interactions between mothers and their daughters that I witness in the exam room. After all, there are a lot of new mothers and new daughters since I wrote my last column on the subject. The age of the daughter, like most things in pediatrics, often determines what happens in […]
Much has been said and written about the bond between mothers and their babies. Fathers can also bond with their babies. Their presence and participation in the lives of their infants can be a positive factor in their development and for the family in general. A father’s part in a baby’s relationship can start before […]
For many years the official guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (and other organizations) have recommended delaying the feeding of solids to infants to help prevent asthma and allergies. The theory went that the younger infants were introduced to certain foods, the more likely they were to trigger allergic (atopic) disease. Certain foods, such […]
How often children need baths may vary by culture and time, but there are recommendations that can give the modern caregiver some guidance. A newborn’s first bath has been given in hospitals shortly after birth. However, a variety of organizations, including the World Health Organization, are now recommending delaying the first bath for a few […]
