Airplanes are one of the safest means by which to travel. The odds for any one person of being in an airplane accident are 1 in 11 million. Plus, 96% of these unlucky passengers survive. Air travel with children takes some preparation, but it is certainly doable. Reading books and talking about the process of […]
Australia, being in the Southern Hemisphere, has already had winter. The influenza season Down Under was particularly brutal with a record-high number of flu cases. The main culprit was the influenza A (H3N2) strain. The Aussies’ flu vaccine, which has the same components as ours, was only 10% effective against this strain. There are reasons […]
Children cough. It is one of the most common symptoms of childhood illnesses. Although most coughs are not concerning, some types are. Coughs vary by the sounds they make, when they happen and how long children have them. – Most coughs in children are dry or wet hacky coughs. When accompanied by a low-grade fever (or […]
Teenagers are legendary for sleeping all weekend if they are allowed. They do need a certain amount of sleep, 8-10 hours a night, to function properly. One study showed that only 15% of teens even got 8½ hours of sleep at night. The sleeping on weekends is usually an attempt to make up the sleep […]
(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.) 1) Can drinking grape juice prevent stomach viruses? There is currently some advice going around on the Internet that drinking a glass of grape juice three times a day after […]
Vaccines are an important component of a child’s health care. Severe side effects from them are thankfully rare. Some purported things that are attributed to them are even non-existent. Still, there are common side effects from them that can occur and are helpful to know. Side effects from the influenza vaccine usually occur within 1-2 […]
Vaccines are an important part of protecting children’s health, but like any medication, they can cause side effects. These can vary depending on the immunization, but many of the more common side effects are shared by most if not all vaccines. – Hepatitis B vaccine is usually given to infants (even newborns). It can occasionally cause […]
When kids play sports, they sweat. They become thirsty. Since they are mostly made of water, they need to replace any water lost with more water. The word “hydration” literally means “the adding of water.” Nowadays, there are sports and energy drinks that are touted for athletes. Children and parents are increasingly aware of these, […]
The number of products containing probiotics and the interest in using them have grown dramatically in recent years. The concept of probiotics, though, has been known by the medical community for over a hundred years. Back in 1907, French pediatrician Henry Tissier noted that children with diarrhea had a low number of certain (“bifid”) bacteria […]
Horror films. Frightening novels. Late-night campfire tales. That first drop on a new roller coaster. None of these are as scary as that first night at home with your first newborn. New babies are very different from other humans. They can look very odd to us. Their behaviors are strange. Remember, though: we all started […]
