Vaccines Not the Cause of Autism, Rules the Court

There is a lot of debate out there whether or not to vaccinate children. Some folks are big believers in vaccines (such as myself), while others fear them and a possible link to autism. Whichever side of the issue you are on, you’ll want to make note of this news. A special court ruled yesterday that there is no reason to blame shots on children’s autism, siting years of scientific evidence that showed no increase risk of autism from receiving vaccination. The special court, made up of special masters that serve on the U.S. Court of Claims, received evidence from … Continue reading →

Foods to Build Your Child’s Immunity

Starting early with good food can do more than just fight obesity. It can also help your child develop better, grow stronger and live longer as an adult. One thing that science is telling us more and more is that there are certain foods that are essential for building immunity. This means that feed your child well and she just may avoid all of the stomach viruses, respiratory infections and other illnesses that are rampant among play dates, preschool and day care this winter. Phytonutrients Phytonutrients are plant nutrients that have been shown to have the ability to stimulate the … Continue reading →

Does Your Child Have a Milk Allergy? How to Tell

Many children are allergic to milk these days, and many of them go undiagnosed. Milk allergies can cause hives, skin rashes, and in some rare cases more serious reactions such as breathing difficulties. So how can you tell if your child has a milk allergy? Keep reading for important information. Allergy versus intolerance First let us talk about the difference between a milk allergy and a milk intolerance. For all of my children, when they were weaned from breast feeding and put on whole milk, they showed the symptoms of gas and loose stools or diarrhea. I assumed (incorrectly) that … Continue reading →

Febrile Seizures and Spinal Taps

It is late at night and your baby wakes up with a high fever. While you are comforting your child and called the pediatrician, the baby goes into a seizure. What do you do? chances are that you rush your baby to the emergency room where it may be standard procedure to perform a spinal tap to rule out bacterial meningitis. But new research is showing that this painful procedure that requires sedation may not be the best choice for your baby. Read more to find out what the new information is all about. Febrile seizures are very scary but … Continue reading →

Guide to the Rotavirus Vaccine

When it comes to your baby, I am of the mindset that the more information you have at hand, the better chance you have of making the right decision for your baby. Immunization is a highly debated topic among some. Many parents choose not to vaccinate and are trying to enact laws that make it illegal for a child to be refused private daycare because of lack of immunization. Other parents believe wholeheartedly in the power of vaccinations to protect children from potentially fatal diseases and oppose measures that would allow non-vaccinated children to be enrolled in private day care … Continue reading →

Preparing for Shots

No one thinks going to the pediatrician is fun, whether it is for a sick visit or a well visit. If you are prepared, though, things can go a bit more smoothly, especially when it comes to your child getting shots. You’ll also be able to bring up topics of concern and get your questions answered, despite holding on to a squirming baby, toddler or preschooler. Here are some ways to be prepared for the pediatrician when it comes to shots. Dress your child appropriately. This will make the visit so much easier. Forget about impressing the staff or the … Continue reading →

Having a Clean Home Might Be Bad for Your Baby

Did you go through a period of nesting before the birth of your baby? Where you frantically cleaning and organizing? Most of us go through that time, close to birth, where we want to make sure that we are prepared and that everything is ready for our new little one. After baby is born, we try to balance all of that newborn care with creating a clean and safe environment. We scrub and sanitize to keep our babies healthy. But having a home that is too clean might be bad for your baby. There is a lot of research to … Continue reading →

What Is that Growing Red Spot on My Baby?

If you notice a rapidly growing red spot on your infant, it could be an infantile hemangioma, which is a reddish skin tumor that is usually noticed by one month of age. I’ll discuss what an infantile hemangioma is all about. First let me say that with any information that you find on the Internet, that this post isn’t meant to be used to diagnose any conditions. That is best done by your pediatrician. Having said that, I feel that it is always helpful to be aware of medical conditions that may affect your child. Infantile hemangiomas may start out … Continue reading →

Household Swallowing Hazards

Babies have a tendency to put everything in their mouths. And while we, as parents, are diligent about baby proofing our homes, sometimes things get missed, such as a small toy from an older child, loose change that has fallen out of someone’s pocket, a stray piece of lint that looks particularly interesting, etc. While many of these objects may not be choking hazards, they still aren’t things you want you baby to ingest. Here are the most common household hazards that a baby might swallow and some information on whether or not you should start to panic. Coins There … Continue reading →

Fluoride and Infants

When it comes to your infant, do you really need to worry about fluoride? The answer is a definite yes. Fluoride can protect budding teeth, but more importantly, too much fluoride can lead to a condition called fluorosis. Fluoride in the right amount is helpful for preventing tooth decay and strengthening your baby’s teeth. If you baby is given too much fluoride, then the teeth can become black and mottled. This mainly just affects the appearance of the teeth and not the health of the teeth, but it is far from attractive. Fluoride can makes its way into your baby’s … Continue reading →