Exhausting, complete overload likely describes the emotional state of many first-time (or even experienced) moms and dads: Sleep deprivation, sore nipples for breast-feeding moms, and visitors showing up at all hours can put a damper on this once-in-a-lifetime experience. So why does baby have to create mayhem with an array of potentially scary behaviors and…
Rashes often seem unfathomable to parents. They are amazingly common, unfortunately more so in some children than others, and only a very tiny few are really serious, demanding immediate medical attention. To guide you, I am going to suggest evaluating a relatively small number of characteristics: Does the rash blanch or not? When you press…
Introducing KidsDoc Symptom Checker, the best phone app a concerned parent may ever buy. Innumerable are the anxious moments the average parent has spent agonizing over what to do next for their ill or injured child. “Should I call the doctor?” “Should I take him this instant to the Emergency Room (now called Emergency Department)?” “Maybe Aunt Hilda will…
Potty training techniques and philosophies have evolved dramatically in my career, yet one constant remains: the process seems mysterious. The anxiety thereby generated is only heightened by well-meaning but often misguided “free” advice offered by grandparents, aunts, even friends. “So what do YOU think we should do? “ is usually how the dilemma is presented…
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, refers to chronic, often life-long, sometimes severe, dry, cracked skin, which is typically very itchy. It is one of the four “Atopic Diseases”: asthma, allergy, food allergy, and eczema. Eczema is often inherited from an atopic parent, who in fact, might not have eczema, but severe asthma, or allergies. Let’s assume you’ve…
Let me preface my thoughts by acknowledging up front my awareness of the wide cultural and personal differences in the approach to weaning. If you are reading this, I will assume some acceptance on your part of the American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines, which suggest weaning by 14 months of age. So why do parents…