Nits Aren’t Nice
There are things we just don’t talk about in polite company. There are subjects one doesn’t broach at the dinner table. Take bodily vermin, for example. A few months ago, I couldn’t have pictured myself sipping a post-prandial cup of coffee and Sambuc…
Learn MoreThe Sedentary Bunch
Ever wonder where kids get so much energy? Today’s typical 5-year-old eats almost 600,000 calories each year — that’s a lot of fuel for a small body. These vast reserves of energy come in handy for games of freeze tag and neighborhood bike races. But…
Learn MoreBiting, Ages 1 to 3
What should I do if my child bites someone? First, stay calm. Even if another child provoked yours and the child’s parent is furious, remember that your toddler may just be “trying out” her teeth, unaware of how much pain she inflicted. Many toddlers …
Learn MoreDaycare Workers
Theresa Quillen, a day-care worker for the last 20 years in Philadelphia, deeply loves children — even the one who sent her to the hospital.
The 3-year-old boy didn’t mean to hurt her. He just happened to be standing around when another 3-year-old wa…
Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child, Ages 1 to 3
It’s not easy being a toddler. One moment your child feels as if he’s king of the world; the next he’s crying in rage and hurling a toy across the room. Like many parents, you may find it hard to cope with your toddler’s outbursts of anger and frustra…
Learn MoreAsthma (Teenagers)
What is asthma?Most people associate asthma with sudden fits of coughing and wheezing, but the disease is actually present 24 hours a day. If your teenager has asthma, the tubes that carry air to her lungs are inflamed and may be swollen and clogged w…
Learn MoreTetanus Booster Following Trauma
When should my child get a tetanus booster? It depends on her age. Experts recommend vaccinating your child when she’s 2 months old, with follow-up shots at 4 months, 6 months, after her first birthday, and again around age 5. These initial shots are …
Learn MoreBicycle Helmets
Why should my child wear a bike helmet? Every year about 25 children an hour are rushed to hospital emergency rooms with injuries from bicycle wrecks — many of them head injuries that can cause brain damage and life-long disabilities. But these injur…
Learn MoreCold Sores (Children)
What are cold sores?Cold sores, also known as fever blisters, are small red blisters that crop up near the lips or on them. More rarely, they sprout on the roof of the mouth. (Some people confuse them with canker sores, which are painful crater-like s…
Learn MoreAutism
What is autism? Autism is a brain disorder that can severely limit a child’s ability to communicate or interact with others. National statistics for how many children are affected by autism don’t yet exist. However, the National Institute for Mental H…
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