Mumps FAQ
What are mumps?Caused by a virus that infects the salivary glands near the jawbone, mumps is a highly contagious illness that shows up mainly in swelling and soreness in the jaw area. The swelling is usually on both sides, so that the sufferer bears a…
Learn MoreInternational Adoptions
If you’re preparing for an international adoption, you’re probably knee-deep in paperwork, waiting to be matched, or scheduling a flight for China, Russia, India, or another country to meet your new son or daughter for the first time. With all the exc…
Learn MoreComforting Your Child During Medical Procedures
What can I do to comfort my child during medical procedures or hospital stays? Even though the typical pediatrician’s office comes fully equipped with clowns on the wall and a dozen issues of Highlights magazine in the waiting room, your child will st…
Learn MoreAllergies and Hay Fever (Child)
What causes allergies?Every human body carries an arsenal of chemicals to fight off bacteria, viruses, and other intruders, but sometimes these weapons backfire. If your child has allergies, she responds to things in the environment that are not invad…
Learn MoreSwimmer’s Ear
What is swimmer’s ear?It’s an ear infection that kids and adults commonly get by swimming in a pool or lake. Water seeps into the ear canal and erodes its protective lining, making it easier for bacteria and fungi to take hold and multiply. Any infect…
Learn MoreLyme Disease in Children
What is Lyme disease? Lyme disease is an infection that your child can get if he’s bitten by a tick carrying certain bacteria. Doctors call it the “great imitator” because it mimics other diseases, making it difficult to diagnose; in addition, a blood…
Learn MoreLead Poisoning On the Job
It wasn’t that long ago that a California man in his mid-30s walked into a doctor’s office with such astronomical levels of lead in his blood that he was barred from returning to work. Alarmed, health officials began looking into his workplace, the Al…
Learn MoreChoosing an Eye Doctor
Why do I — or members of my family — need to see an eye doctor? Sooner or later almost everyone will need to use eyeglasses. Vision problems are generally divided into two categories: nearsightedness (being able to see clearly only when things are c…
Learn MoreChildren and Pain
If you’ve ever watched a nurse take a blood sample from a newborn’s heel, you already know that even the youngest children can feel pain. Babies and toddlers may not always be able to put their feelings into words, but their pain is real. According to…
Learn MoreAttention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Ages 6 to 12
What is attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder?ADHD (commonly known as ADD) is a behavioral disorder. Basically, children who have it find it difficult to concentrate, or are excessively active, or both. The American Psychiatric Association calls th…
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